The HIVE

Launching The HIVE, a fully custom whiskey for r/Bourbon from the ground up.

Its foundation is 7yr9mo barrels of MGP rye, two of which were finished in wine casks (chardonnay, pinot noir) while the third cask continued aging, and re-blended together.

The result is a phenomenal composition, and one of my proudest whiskey creations to date. 

The artwork was commissioned of California artist Daryll Peirce, whose design style mirrored exactly what I wanted to see in this project. The HIVE was born. 

The naming comes as a witty spotlight to the dichotomy in the perception I see people outside our group have of Reddit. Some folks, some brands, some companies are terrified of Reddit. They don’t understand r/Bourbon and only know what they hear from the media of Reddit. Our size, our scale, our tremendous influence in the whiskey industry is often completely misunderstood and it frightens and paralyzes them. Some projects have been frozen or outright canceled in the past once the business administration of a brand heard the project was for a subreddit. That day weighed heavy on me and I’ll never forget it. 

To other brands, there’s an understanding of what r/Bourbon is. A monstrous, sprawling, hungry collection of individual palates who are thirsty for info, who are driven to experience the newest and most interesting whiskeys, and who are not afraid to weight in on a whiskey and share their thoughts with others. We taste, we share, from time to time we make or break brands. At the heart of each Redditor is one thing: a love of whiskey, and nobody can convince me that isn’t r/Bourbon’s strongest advantage.

That is the side of Reddit I see, and the philosophy that I work to share with brands anytime I see one I am determined to work with. Reddit isn’t something to be feared, it’s an independent organism that is made up of thoughtful drinkers, excited enthusiasts and driven drinkers who simply want brands to make the best whiskey possible…or else. 

To me, Reddit is a HIVE.

Like bees, it’s easy to see a hive in the distance and think that bees are contained to that one area. But, it’s simply not true.

Bees are the lifeblood of every pasture and field, state and country where pollinators are needed. And, as such, so is r/Bourbon. We’re diverse and we live everywhere. We are in every whiskey group and state, every market and country. We represent every kind of drinker and together make up the most sprawling and impressive community whiskey has ever seen. 

There will never be another bottling like this one, and no release will share this art. I wanted r/Bourbon’s DNA to be in every particle of this whiskey, combining best in class whiskey with literal art rather than kitschy stickers or after market tissue paper, boxes and gimmicks, and I am confident you will love it. 

We are The HIVE. 

Subtle Spirits “THE HIVE” r/Bourbon 7yr9mo Cask Strength Rye Whiskey Private Selection

Welcome To The HIVE.

  • Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP)
  • Aged In: Kentucky and California, USA
  • Bottled: California, USA (Subtle Spirits)
  • Details: Cask Strength, No Coloring, No Additives, No Filtering, Single Barrel, Fully Custom Art
  • ABV: 59.5% ABV 
  • Age: 7 Years 9 Months + Finishing Time
  • Mashbill: 95/5% Rye Mashbill
  • Yield: 444 Total Bottles
  • T8ke’s Tasting Notes: Heavy caramel and dark fruit on the nose, toffee combines with blackberry, butterscotch, nougat, a touch of red berry, white grape, tobacco and decadent rye spice. The rye spice and fruit mingle elegantly, disguising a touch of spice and shrouding the ethanol entirely. The palate is rich, viscous, powerful and layered. There’s sweet oak, heavy spicy, toffee and caramel. The tannin is big and fat, rich and complex without bitterness or growing drying. The fruit integrates nicely, bringing more blackberry, currant, white grape, raisin, tobacco and date fruit to bear. The spicy rye character jumps in, bringing cracked pepper, clove, a hint of orange peel and white pepper to combine with the rich sweetness and layered fruit character. Long finish brings it all together, pushing forward more rye spice yet, powered by opulent oak, brown sugar, rye spice and cracked pepper with facets of blackberry, decadent white grape and a final zip of spice. This pour hangs in the glass expertly, changing with every sip.