Dark Arts The Empyrean is a straight bourbon from Dark Arts Whiskey House, a blending and finishing operation based in Lexington, Kentucky. The base spirit is distilled by MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, from a mash bill of 60% corn, 36% rye and 4% malted barley and aged for 7½ years. It is then split into two finishing paths, with one portion matured in red port casks and the other in white port casks before being blended and bottled at cask strength. Bottled at 111.36 proof (55.68% ABV), it typically retails for around $105.