Arcane Distilling has introduced its second flagship whiskey, Arcane Imperial.
Distilled from an Imperial Stout in Brooklyn, the result is a whiskey with a dark chocolate aroma, with notes of caramel and toffee. It is bottled at 83 proof.
“Arcane Imperial’s vacuum distillation process captures and preserves the exact malt flavors and aromas of our Imperial Stout, delivering a complex and flavorful American whiskey unlike any other,” said Brian Thompson, CEO, Arcane Distilling. “It is infinitely more complex than other whiskeys and a perfect example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.”Arcane Imperial joins Arcane Alpha in the portfolio, a whiskey distilled from a triple IPA loaded with bright, citrusy hops, which launched earlier this summer. Together they offer two distinctly flavorful experiences that appeal to both the whiskey lover and beer aficionado.
Arcane is a new type of distillery that lives at the intersection of beer and whiskey. The Arcane approach is to make great beer and distill it into great whiskey. The entire approach to brewing differs greatly from a traditional whiskey distiller, where the goal is often to maximize the alcohol content in its “distiller’s beer.” Rather, the Arcane approach is to make the most flavorful craft beer possible to produce the most flavorful whiskey possible. Using only premium malted barley and hops – the same ingredients you would find at a craft brewery – and fermenting with a particularly flavor-forward yeast called kviek.
Because so many of the aromas and flavors of beer are delicate and volatile, traditional distillation would all but destroy them when boiling beer to evaporate the alcohol. Under vacuum, however, alcohol evaporates at a much lower temperature. Arcane’s custom-designed vacuum still operates at room temperature, allowing the system to preserve and collect those volatile aroma and flavor compounds. Further, Arcane’s still is equipped with three auxiliary condensers, one of which operates at -30 degrees Celsius, and is designed to capture exceptionally flavorful but extremely volatile compounds that cannot be captured in a traditional still.
Arcane’s whiskeys are finished via a process designed to ensure its flavors are preserved and carry through to the final product while trying to avoid barrel waste. The expressions rests in large oak foudres to add mouthfeel without overwhelming the beer flavors with too much wood character.
Arcane Imperial retails for $45.99.
