The Mesquite-Finished and Charcoal Filtered Whiskey Marks the Brand’s Entry into Sourced Bourbon.
Whiskey Del Bac, the Tucson-based producer of award-winning American single malt whiskey, has announced the official release of Sentinel of the Desert Bourbon, the latest addition to its sourced-but-finished Sentinel of the Desert line. The new bourbon follows the success of the brand’s 2022 straight rye whiskey debut.
Purposeful Approach to a Southwestern Bourbon
“When we launched the Sentinel of the Desert brand in 2022 with our sourced-but-finished straight rye whiskey, the immediate question from our customers was, ‘When will we see a bourbon?’” said Master Distiller and Blender Mark A. Vierthaler. “Like everything we do here at Whiskey Del Bac, we knew we needed to be purposeful, thoughtful, and transparent. And, of course, it needed to be delicious.”
After evaluating dozens of bourbons over a 12-month period, the production team selected a blend of two- and three-year-old bourbons distilled and aged in Ohio. The mash bill features 60% yellow corn, 35% pumpernickel rye, and 5% heritage malt, offering a bold flavor base before undergoing Whiskey Del Bac’s signature finishing process.
Finished with the Pima County Process™
Sentinel of the Desert Bourbon is finished on freshly harvested mesquited barrel staves from Whiskey Del Bac and filtered through mesquite charcoal using the proprietary Pima County Process™. The result is a bourbon described as “bright but punchy,” with smoked apple pie on the nose, a touch of mesquite smoke on the palate, and a long, singed vanilla finish.
Availability and Distribution
Bottled at 46% ABV (92 proof), Sentinel of the Desert Bourbon retails for $40 per 750ml bottle. It is currently available at the distillery and in select stores and bars across Arizona, California, Colorado, and Nevada, with national rollout expected in the coming weeks.
A Growing Legacy of Southwestern Whiskey Innovation
Sentinel of the Desert Whiskey was created in response to customer interest in seeing Whiskey Del Bac’s Southwestern influence applied to rye and bourbon. “As a small team, we couldn’t take time away from producing our handcrafted American single malts to make our own rye or bourbon,” explained Vierthaler. “So we sourced and added our own twist as we finished it.”
Whiskey Del Bac continues to gain acclaim for its mesquited American single malts, including the award-winning Dorado and Classic expressions. The distillery also releases experimental whiskeys through its Distiller’s Cut and Global Cask collections. For more information, visit www.whiskeydelbac.com.
Image Credit: Julius Schlosburg
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