This New Bourbon Is So Insanely Strong It’s Labeled ‘Hazmat’ Proof
Drinking whiskey is supposed to be about pleasure, not pain, right? Well, one person’s punishment is perfection for another, because a new extremely high-ABV release from Frey Ranch sold out in a flash last weekend.
Frey Ranch is a Nevada distillery that truly makes “ground-to-glass” whiskey, with 100 percent of the grains grown onsite. Husband and wife team Colby and Ashley Frey co-founded the distillery, which has been releasing its own bourbon and rye over the past few years (no sourced products), and the quality has been unequivocally excellent. In addition to the core lineup, there is a single barrel series that Colby and his team personally select and bottle at barrel proof, which can range upwards of 130 (or 65 percent ABV). But recently a barrel was unearthed which was labeled Hazmat Single Barrel due to its extreme alcohol content—140.18 proof, or more than 70 percent ABV, to be exact. That’s strong enough to make puppies cry and melt your fillings, if you’re looking for a completely unscientific reference point.
More from Robb Report
The Pre-Made Old Fashioned That's Better Than Your Bartender's Is Back
Teeling Gave Its 32-Year-Old Irish Whiskey an Unusual Wine Cask Finish--and Pulled It Off
This Brooklyn Distillery Is Sourcing Nearly 20-Year-Old Whiskey for This Rare Bourbon Blend
People lined up at the distillery to get their hands on one of 126 bottles last weekend and the whiskey promptly sold out, so it appears there are plenty of bourbon fans who are looking for a spirit this beefy. The distillery called it a “delicious firecracker” and noted that it’s the highest proof whiskey it’s ever released, with notes of orange peel and oak and a rich mahogany color.
There have been several high-octane whiskey releases in recent years, each surpassing the next in alcohol strength. While this can start to feel like a whiskey pissing contest at times, people seem to just kind of love trying uncut, unfiltered, jet-fuel whiskey. For example, Jack Daniel’s released its highest proof whiskey to date last summer, which beat this Frey Ranch release by about ten proof points—it was so strong, in fact, that it had to have a special cork to keep the vapors from popping it open. And Brooklyn’s Kings County Distillery has released its own hazmat bourbon, with one bottle approaching 180 proof which seems like an accident waiting to happen.
While you might not be able to try Frey Ranch’s Hazmat Single Barrel unless you are friends with someone who purchased a bottle at the distillery last weekend (or you see one being flipped on the secondary market), the distillery’s core lineup is available to purchase online. While you might not be able to use this whiskey to strip paint, it’s still pretty tasty.
Best of Robb Report
The Ultimate Guide to Wagyu Beef, the World's Most Luxurious Steak
Why a Heritage Turkey Is the Best Thanksgiving Bird—and How to Get One
The 10 Best Wines to Pair With Steak, From Cabernet to Malbec
Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
