With Fall Sipping in Mind, Middle West Unveils Whiskey Finished in Orange Wine Casks

On Monday, Middle West Spirits announced the release of a limited-production whiskey: Single Barrel Double Cask Vino de Naranja Whiskey. The whiskey will be available to the public exclusively at the brand’s shop in Columbus, Ohio, starting Aug. 30, and it features a blend of Middle West’s rye and wheat whiskeys. The distillery finished the expression in casks that previously held a Spanish wine called Vino de Naranja, which is a type of sherry wine infused with Seville oranges.

Vino de Naranja is a distinctive Spanish wine made from Palomino and Pedro Ximenez sherry grapes, and the bitter Seville orange infusion yields a zesty and citrus-imbued flavor profile. Middle West shared the lengthy cask contact with the Vino De Naranja removes the barrels of their tannin, and imparts plenty of aromatics to the finished whiskey. The limited-release whiskey hosts a suggested retail price of $129.99.

“Our Double Cask Collection gives us the chance to seek out and experiment with many different kinds of casks to see which ones can complement and enhance the flavors, aromas and color of matured whiskey,” Middle West Spirits founding Lead Distiller and CEO Ryan Lang said in a statement. “The harmony of soft notes from the Orange Sherry wine with our Wheat and Dark Pumpernickel Rye whiskeys was even better than we anticipated, so we are excited to release this limited production at cask strength for fall.”

Middle West blended its Soft Red Winter Wheat and Dark Pumpernickel Rye whiskeys together for this release. The whiskeys were aged for four years in new American white oak barrels.  They then spent one to two years in casks that previously held Vino de Naranja from Spain. The double-cask whiskey is bottled at cask strength, with proofs ranging from 119.7 to 123.1, according to the brand.

Middle West claims the base blend offers notes of vanilla, baking spice and leather flavors, and the distinctive Vino de Naranja finish imbues Middle West’s Single Barrel Double Cask Vino de Naranja with candied orange, baking spice and honey.

In January, Middle West announced the completion of a 75,000-square-foot building expansion with grain and bottling facilities. Middle West claimed the new facilities would allow the brand to expand its production capacity tenfold. It intends to bring on more staff throughout 2024, and as of January the Ohio spirits brand tripled its employees, yielding greater economic growth in the area.

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