Wolves, the luxury whiskey brand founded by culture mavericks James Bond (Undefeated) and Jon Buscemi (Buscemi, Greats, Truff, Oliver Peoples), announced that its first-ever American Single Malt whiskeys, “Lot One” under the brand’s Malted Barley Series banner, will drop Thursday, April 6.

The definition of American Single Malt whiskey has long been a moving target. In 2022, however, the Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) proposed new parameters which would require, in part, that to be classified as American Single Malt a spirit must be “distilled from 100% malted barley entirely at one U.S. distillery.”

Wolves acquired a very limited supply of single malt and malted barley whiskeys that were put down in 8 to 12 barrel lots starting in 2011. 13th generation Master Distiller Marko Karakasevic distilled each lot over a 10-day period in a small alembic pot still imported from Cognac, France in 1983.

While far less efficient than a column still, the slow, antique pot still yields whiskey with more body, flavor, and viscosity. During distillation, Karakasevic slept in four hour shifts so that he alone could make each cut, selecting ‘the heart of hearts’ for double distillation.

Lot One was distilled in 2015. Eleven of the 12 barrels were blended together by Wolves and bottled at 110-proof (55% ABV). The 12th barrel (barrel #574) was selected as a single barrel release, and bottled at 125-proof (62.5% ABV). 

All 228 bottles of Wolves’ Lot One single-barrel expression ($350) will be offered privately to certain members on its Allocation List. The 375 6-packs of the Lot One blended single malt expression (MSRP $289) will be made available through select retailers, as well as through pre-sale to the Wolves Allocation List beginning March 30. Visit www.wolveswhiskeyca.com to register.  Not available in all 50 states.

In addition to rolling out its first Single Malt, Wolves has also announced it is erecting a new still in partnership with Marko Karakasevic at its home distillery in Northern California. The new still will allow Wolves to continue its line of unique beer whiskeys and single malt whiskeys into the future and at scale.

For more info, visit www.wolveswhiskeyca.com.