I posted about the return of Black Butte Whiskey from Deschutes Brewery and Bendistillery, and now I’ve also got samples of this year’s releases—both the five-year whiskey and the special barrel cask strength edition.

Black Butte Whiskey is distilled from the wash of Deschutes’ Black Butte Porter, and aged five years in new char #4 American White Oak barrels. The standard edition is 94 proof (47% ABV) while the cask strength is 125.8 proof (62.9% ABV).

My (loose) plan right now is to taste these whiskeys individually, then as a pairing with—you guessed it—Black Butte Porter. And perhaps something extra.