Middle West Spirits to Unveil a Limited-Edition Double Cask Single Barrel Vino de Naranja Whiskey

 Middle West Spirits, the award-winning distillery known for growing and processing their grains to create distinctive, memorable spirits for whiskey lovers, is releasing a Single Barrel Double Cask Vino De Naranja whiskey on August 30, 2024. This exclusive, limited-production spirit showcases the distillery's commitment to innovation and excellence in whiskey making. 

The Middle West Spirits Double Cask Vino de Naranja Whiskey begins with Middle West Dark Pumpernickel Rye and Wheat Whiskeys. These have each been aged four years in new American white oak barrels, with hints of vanilla, leather and baking spices, followed by one to two years in sun-soaked Vino de Naranja casks from Spain. The final whiskey imparts aromas of Seville oranges, buttercream and toasted oak, a palate of candied orange, honey and baking spice, and finishes with the subtle sweetness of candied orange. Each double cask barrel was bottled as a single barrel at cask strength (with proofs ranging from 119.7 to 123.1).  

Vino de Naranja casks have a rich history and undergo a meticulous preparation process. They begin with Vino de Naranja wine, which is a unique wine made from traditional Palomino and Pedro Ximenez sherry grapes that are infused with local bitter and fragrant Seville oranges. The casks remain in contact with the sherry-based wine for a minimum of six years. This extensive process strips the barrels of their tannic content while developing deep, complex flavors and aromatics. At this stage, the casks are ready to impart their unique character to other spirits during the finishing process. 

They chose to use equal parts of Middle West Spirits Soft Red Winter Wheat Whiskey and Dark Pumpernickel Rye Whiskey in the Vino de Naranja casks to allow flavor notes from the softness and sweetness of the winter wheat and the smooth spiciness from the dark pumpernickel rye to complement the sherry notes as well as the bitter and sour notes from the Seville oranges. All of Middle West Spirits’ whiskeys are led by the flavors from the grains they use. They carefully select the seeds used and work with local farmers to manage how they are grown to ensure they are always food grade and non-GMO and that the farming process is regenerative. 

“Our Double Cask Collection gives us the chance to seek out and experiment with many different kinds of casks to see which ones can complement and enhance the flavors, aromas and color of matured whiskey,” said Ryan Lang, founding lead distiller and CEO of Middle West Spirits. “The harmony of soft notes from the Orange Sherry wine with our Wheat and Dark Pumpernickel Rye whiskeys was even better than we anticipated, so we are excited to release this limited production at cask strength for fall.” 

This limited release 750ml bottle, priced at $129.99, will only be available at the Middle West Spirits Distillery Bottle Shop in Columbus, Ohio on August 30, 2024. 

About Middle West Spirits

Middle West Spirits was built on a passion for crafting the highest quality spirits. This is why Middle West uses unique Ohio grains and controls every step of the production process - from seed selection to on-site grain processing, distilling, aging, blending, and bottling - all in its Columbus, Ohio distilleries. Middle West spirits have earned more than 200 awards, including top honors from the ASCOT Awards, PR%F Awards, Beverage Tasting Institute, Heartland Whiskey Competition and more. Guests can enjoy the full Middle West experience at the Courtland Avenue Distillery, Service Bar Restaurant and Bottle Shop in Columbus, OH to purchase Middle West’s signature products. To learn more about Middle West Spirits, visit middlewestspirits.com, or follow on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.