Chattanooga Russian River Pinot Cask Finished Bourbon 750ML

Chattanooga Russian River Pinot Cask Finished Bourbon 750ML is a 95-proof (47.5% ABV) Tennessee bourbon finished for six months in Pinot Noir casks from Sonoma County's Russian River Valley. Produced by Chattanooga Whiskey — named Craft Producer of the Year at Whisky Magazine's 2023 World Whiskies Awards — this release marries five distinct bourbon mash bills with red-wine-cask influence for an uncommonly fruit-forward American whiskey.

Quick Facts: ABV: 47.5% (95 Proof)  |  Origin: Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA  |  Aged 4+ Years, Pinot Noir Cask Finished  |  Distillery: Chattanooga Whiskey Riverfront Distillery

Production & Heritage

Chattanooga Whiskey operates its Riverfront Distillery in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, where it helped revive legal distilling in Hamilton County for the first time since Prohibition. This expression draws from five proprietary bourbon mash bills — spanning yellow corn with malted rye, malted wheat, honey malted barley, caramel malted barley, oak-smoked malted wheat, and even pale chocolate malted barley — each contributing a different grain character to the final blend. After aging for over four years in new charred oak, the whiskey spends an additional six months in Pinot Noir barrels sourced from Russian River Valley, one of Sonoma County's most acclaimed winegrowing appellations, allowing the residual wine notes to integrate with the bourbon's roasted-malt backbone.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens fruit-forward with fresh-picked blackberries and cherry pie, layered over darker currents of molasses and barrel char. Beneath that initial wave, brown sugar and a subtle vinous sweetness emerge as the glass opens up.

Taste: Entry is rich and full-bodied, with a robust mouthfeel that immediately signals weight on the palate. Mid-palate delivers black currant, blueberry, and blackberry in quick succession, shifting toward vanilla and seasoned oak as it develops. The interplay between roasted malt character and wine-cask sweetness keeps each sip layered and dynamic.

Finish: The finish is moderately long with lightly tannic edges inherited from the Pinot Noir casks, accompanied by dark chocolate, prune, and lingering roasted oak. It dries gradually without turning astringent, leaving a pleasant cocoa-dusted warmth.

How to Drink Chattanooga Pinot Cask Bourbon

Neat or with a few drops of water best showcases the wine-cask complexity and five-mash-bill depth; a single large ice cube also works well to tame the 95-proof intensity while preserving fruit character. In a Manhattan, the dark-fruit profile reinforces the sweet vermouth, creating a seamless, berry-inflected cocktail. A Boulevardier benefits from the bourbon's tannic finish and chocolate undertones, which stand up to the bitterness of Campari. For a lighter serve, try it in a New York Sour — the Pinot-influenced fruitiness pairs naturally with the red wine float.

Best For

• Bourbon drinkers exploring wine-cask finishes for the first time
• Gifting a whiskey enthusiast who appreciates craft distillery innovation
• After-dinner sipping alongside dark chocolate desserts
• Adding depth to stirred cocktails like Manhattans and Boulevardiers

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Chattanooga Pinot Cask Bourbon taste like? It leads with dark berry fruit — blackberry, black currant, and blueberry — supported by vanilla, seasoned oak, and dark chocolate. The Pinot Noir cask finishing adds a light tannic edge and a subtle vinous sweetness that distinguishes it from traditional bourbon profiles.

How does Chattanooga Pinot Cask compare to Angel's Envy Bourbon? Both are wine-cask-finished bourbons, but Angel's Envy uses port barrels for up to six months, yielding a sweeter, more candied fruit profile, while Chattanooga's Russian River Pinot Noir casks contribute drier tannins and darker berry character. Chattanooga also blends five separate mash bills — including specialty malts like chocolate and caramel malted barley — giving it a more complex grain foundation at a slightly higher 95 proof versus Angel's Envy's 86.6 proof.

Is Chattanooga Pinot Cask Bourbon good for sipping neat? Yes, its 47.5% ABV provides enough structure for neat sipping without overwhelming heat, and the wine-cask influence adds layers of fruit and tannin that reward slow exploration.

Where is Chattanooga Pinot Cask Bourbon made? It is distilled and aged at Chattanooga Whiskey's Riverfront Distillery in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, with the Pinot Noir finishing casks sourced from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, California.

What foods pair well with Chattanooga Pinot Cask Bourbon? Dark chocolate truffles echo the cocoa notes in the finish. Smoked duck or grilled lamb complement the wine-cask tannins and roasted malt character. Aged Gouda offers a caramel sweetness that bridges the bourbon's brown-sugar tones. Berry-topped cheesecake mirrors the dominant fruit profile without competing for attention.

What sizes does Chattanooga Pinot Cask Bourbon come in? The standard release is available in the 750ml bottle size.

Is Chattanooga Pinot Cask Bourbon worth the price? It positions as a premium craft bourbon, sitting above entry-level expressions in both complexity and price point; the five-mash-bill blending process and six-month secondary finishing in genuine Russian River Valley Pinot Noir casks represent a level of production investment uncommon at this tier.

Why Chattanooga Pinot Cask Bourbon?

What separates this release from the growing field of wine-finished bourbons is the foundation it starts with: not a single mash bill, but a custom blend of five, each built with specialty malts rarely seen in American whiskey — including honey malt, caramel malt, oak-smoked wheat, and pale chocolate malt. That unusually complex base was designed specifically to complement the Pinot Noir cask finishing, rather than being an existing product retrofitted for a secondary maturation. Chattanooga Whiskey's approach earned the distillery recognition as Craft Producer of the Year at the 2023 World Whiskies Awards, validating the experimental grain-forward philosophy that drives releases like this one. At 95 proof and with over four years of total maturation, the result is a bourbon that delivers genuine wine-cask integration rather than mere surface flavor.