Playboy Spirits’ Rare Hare has unveiled its latest whiskey, Lucky Bastard. The 30-year-old Canadian whiskey was finished for 120 days in Pineau Des Charentes barrels. Just 2,500 bottles have been created.
Pineau des Charentes, a fortified wine made by blending grape juice with young eau-de-vie Cognac, lends sweetness, vanilla, and fruitiness to the final whiskey. Delicate and sweet on the nose, the whiskey delivers aromas of vanilla bean, golden raisin, dandelion, honeycomb, and bee pollen. The palate finds browned butter and sugar, serrano chile, beachwood, young coconut, anise, Colombian walnut, and gentian root. The finish transforms with notes of banana peel, mellow Martinique rhum, and plantains.
“This whiskey was made with the collaboration of expert blenders, cooperages, and wine makers. We tasted weekly and chased flavors using whatever methods regulations allowed. This required close attention to the weather and changing between sunny or shaded parts of our facilities,” said Rare Hare Spirits’ Chief Operations Officer, Alex Moore, who oversaw the finishing process. “Extensive aging requires particular care to prevent over-oaking of a product. As with cognac, aging something for so long takes special attention to design and intention. It’s not a product you throw in a barrel and forget about.”
The name Lucky Bastard pays homage to Playboy’s legacy in gaming.
Bottled at 44.5% ABV, Rare Hare Lucky Bastard is priced at $599 per bottle and available via the brand’s official website.
Last summer, Playboy, the iconic “lifestyle” magazine, launched its very own portfolio of ultra-premium spirits, starting with a 17-year-old bourbon named Rare Hare 1953.