Credit: Lost Cargo
Dave Pickerell, longtime distiller and WhistlePig’s master distiller since 2007, passed away suddenly in November 2018. PiggyBack was one of the last projects he worked on, and the first whiskey released by WhistlePig after his passing. Much of this release is a tribute to him.
PiggyBack is bottled at 96.56 proof, a tribute to the year of Pickerell’s birth, 1956. This is also why this is labeled as “distiller’s strength.” The neck label also features 1956-2018 artwork.
The pig in WhistlePig’s logo traditionally wears a top hat, but wears a Stetson hat on this label, a trademark of Pickerell’s.
Pickerell created PiggyBack specifically for cocktails and for use by bartenders, from the 100% rye down to the shape of the bottle for ease of handling.
WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye is made up of whiskies from several batches, ranging in age from 6 to 8 years.
