WhistlePig’s Boss Hog series has never been shy about unusual finishing casks; chapter thirteen sends the idea to Egypt. The Boss Hog XIII: The Golden Pharaoh is a single-barrel, barrel-strength straight rye finished in casks seasoned with Egyptian black honey and tiger nut.

The rye first matures in new American oak before entering the finishing barrels. Tiger nut is technically a tuber rather than a nut, while black honey contributes the darker sugar profile behind the release’s pastry-like direction. WhistlePig describes brown sugar, cinnamon, and toasted almond on the nose; molasses, honey, baking spice, and black pepper on the palate; and toasted almond with fresh oatmeal through the finish.

The concept is tied to an ancient Egyptian tiger-nut cake recipe rather than simply a decorative pharaoh theme. That idea carries into the presentation: a pewter stopper modeled after King Tut crowns the bottle, which sits inside a dedicated presentation box. Like the wider Boss Hog series, each barrel is bottled at its natural proof rather than standardized to a single ABV.

WhistlePig has opened presales ahead of a nationwide September 29 launch. The distillery has not posted a single standardized proof because the release is single-barrel and barrel strength; availability and final bottle proof therefore vary by barrel.