Wolf Spirit, makers of Puncher’s Chance Bourbon, recently announced its oldest whiskey to date with the release of Puncher’s Chance Bourbon: The Left Cross.
Aged for 14 years in wood rickhouses, The Left Cross was finished in freshly dumped 12-year-old Jamaican rum casks for two to six months. Produced under the stewardship of Master Distiller Kevin Curtis and Master Blender Stephen Hughes of IJW Whiskey Company, just 70 barrels of Puncher’s Chance Bourbon: The Left Cross are available. Bottled at 96 proof, The Left Cross starts with a mash bill of 84% corn, 8% malt and 8% rye.
The Left Cross is the second limited-edition release from Puncher’s Chance. It follows the January release of The D12tance, a 12-year-old bourbon finished in California Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.
The brand name of Puncher’s Chance itself is a boxing reference, denoting that almost anyone is possible of a knockout punch, no matter the odds. Earlier this year, Puncher’s Chance inked a deal with the Professional Fighter’s League to bring its whiskey to the MMA community. They’ve also partnered with MMA legend Bruce Buffer and ESPN/New England Sports Network veteran Charlie Moore.
The name “The Left Cross” is a reference to Jamaican heavyweight fighter Donovan “Razor” Ruddock, a southpaw who, with a devastating left cross punch, battled the likes of Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis. The left cross finishing blow became Ruddock’s much-admired calling card.
“Like its predecessor THE D12tance, our journey with The Left Cross is about taking an older whiskey and experimenting with unique finishing techniques – in this case dark Jamaican Rum casks,” said Umberto Luchini, Founder of Wolf Spirit. “Our objective was to use the rum finishing to coax out more of the existing characteristics from the whiskey while adding a unique hint of sweetness. It’s a special craft to finish such a mature bourbon, but the masters at IJW Distillery have done an exceptional job finding the right balance.”
Only 2,000 bottles of Puncher’s Chance Bourbon: The Left Cross will be sold for $150.
