WhistlePig Whiskey has launched WhistlePig 12 Year Rye Single Finish Maple Crème Brûlée. It’s a limited-edition holiday rye finished in re-charred barrels that once held WhistlePig’s barrel-aged maple syrup. It’s available starting today for $124.99.
WhistlePig re-charred each maple syrup barrel to caramelize the maple sugars into the oak, then rebuilt the barrels. The 12 Year Rye rested in them for about a month and picked up maple, caramel and spice from the wood. Nothing is added to the whiskey.
“The magic here is that crème brûlée describes the flavor, not any ingredients added to the whiskey,” said Meghan Ireland, Chief Blender at WhistlePig Whiskey. “We wanted to take something distinctly Vermont and see how far we could push it through the barrel alone. Reworking the maple syrup barrels gave us this rich, caramelized character while still letting the Rye lead, which is exactly what we were after. It’s unmistakably WhistlePig Rye, just with a little seasonal flair for the holidays.”
WhistlePig Maple Crème Brûlée: The Details
- Base whiskey: WhistlePig 12 Year Rye
- Finish: about one month in re-charred, rebuilt Vermont maple syrup barrels
- Flavor: maple, caramel and spice, with no added flavoring
- Price: $124.99
- Availability: limited time, starting Nov. 5, 2026
The base whiskey has been winning awards lately. WhistlePig Old World Rye Aged 12 Years earned Double Gold at the 2026 Global Whisky Challenge, after being named runner-up for World’s Best Rye at the 2025 Las Vegas Global Spirits Awards.
Where to Buy WhistlePig Maple Crème Brûlée
It’s sold at whistlepigwhiskey.com and at select bars, restaurants and retailers. WhistlePig suggests drinking it neat, over one large ice cube, or in a WhistlePig Maple Crème Brûlée Old Fashioned.
WhistlePig is based on a 500-acre farm in Shoreham, Vermont, and focuses on pushing the boundaries of rye whiskey.