The Hive, A Spirited Collaboration
The Hive marked our first collaborative release of an exclusive blend created for the discerning group of whiskey drinkers that is r/bourbon. Administered by Jay West, a.k.a. u/t8ke on Reddit, this Private Blend involved sourcing the right whiskey and a bespoke piece of artwork that reflected the group’s ethos. I’ve known Jay for almost five years. We worked together on past barrel selections for r/bourbon while I was on the retail side of the business. When I started Subtle Spirits, we talked about doing a private barrel selection for his group, but due to the massive size, we decided it made more sense to do a small batch blend. Curating the right artistic direction for this was the most fun part for me because of the collaboration with Jay and the artist to develop something that best reflected the group's ethos.
Being an artist requires knowing when to walk away or towards an idea. It also requires letting go of what you think you know to be true and being open to what you may not see. As I collaborate with artists to produce unique pieces befitting our spirits labels, my comfort with improvisation has begun to reveal itself as the truest path toward achieving the desired outcome. This is true for all of the Original pieces we’ve done. Sometimes, the title or idea comes first and dictates the final product. Other times, like in the case of the Bastard’s Blend, the spirit controls the conversation the entire time. Simultaneously, I may find myself talking with an artist or observing their work and be compelled to shed additional light or interpretation. How do we bottle that? That is the goal.
As I thought about the r/bourbon project, I remember tripping out on the concept of internet communities, organized in forums and scattered across the universe in a dark matter-like structure. It can only be seen with the most sophisticated lenses, yet its reverberations are felt far and wide. The group r/bourbon has 267,000 members. That is about the same as the population of Barbados! With a group that large and, as Jay put it, “monstrous,” it’s almost as if it has the power to form its own consciousness or influence on reality. This theme extends beyond the group or Reddit itself, as social media has created a hive mind or collective consciousness not seen at any other time in our history. I won’t even get into the topic of AI! And then an idea came to me. The Hive!
I didn’t know Jay’s particular preference for art or music, but somehow felt it was well-suited for someone I had just met at a show at the Luna Rienne Gallery in San Francisco. He was a quirky fellow by the name of Daryll Peirce. He had a couple of pieces on the wall, and we got to talking about them. Daryll had the youthful energy of a kid with the calm composure of an adult. Self-proclaiming anxious and perhaps even avoidant temperament, he channeled this energy and his love for hardcore music and movies into a mixture of psychedelic surrealism paintings and movie and concert posters. Daryll dug the concept and was kind enough to do a few sketches of the piece I had envisioned so I could go back to Jay with the concept. It immediately clicked for him, and he loved it. We got to work.
I respect that Jay takes pride in the level of attention to detail and curation he provides with his group’s selections. He wanted to create the blend himself and agreed to some simple parameters for the blending process. I gave him a variety of 51/49 Rye barrels, some finished in wine casks. The blend he came up with was roughly 30% of a second-fill Chardonnay cask, 30% new charred American oak cask, and 40% second-fill Pinot Noir cask.
I am very pleased with how this turned out. It is lush, decadent and delicious. It drinks like a Scotsman and a Southern Belle blended their love for each other in a bottle. Or, as Jay puts it:
“Culminating in a harmonious blend that exemplifies sophistication and elegance. This extraordinary creation stands as one of my proudest achievements in the art of whiskey making. The HIVE is unparalleled, a singular release with no equivalent in art or craftsmanship. Every element of this whiskey reflects the essence of r/Bourbon, from its exceptional quality to the commissioned artwork, eschewing gimmicks for genuine artistry. I am confident you will find it extraordinary.”
This project taught me a lot about the creative process and was a ton of fun to produce. It has also opened the doors to other custom projects and collaborations we are working on now. I can’t wait to show what else we have in the pipeline.
Joshua’s Tasting Notes:
Immediately, I notice the dark color. It's not typical for a whiskey shy of eight years old. Rich, decadent, and illustrious, this whiskey somehow manages to strike the balance between seductive and subtle. Dark forest berries and chocolate with freshly cooked caramel dominate your first impression. No way can it be a rye? More confectionary aromas like toffee or sticky toffee pudding blend with savory tobacco aromas, exotic spice box, and sweetly seasoned oak staves. The rye characteristics emerge as it opens up in the glass – notes of pink peppercorn, allspice, and cinnamon support the sweetness. For lack of a better way of describing it, this is the Macallan bourbon drinkers rye. It has a big, bold texture but is integrated like a fine wine; this pour tastes as lush as it looks. Lots of chocolate-covered berries and brown sugar, balanced with spices and a gentle oak finish. I wish we made more.
Subtle Spirits "THE HIVE" Private Blend for r/bourbon
Distilled: Indiana, USA (MGP)
Aged In: Kentucky and California, USA
Bottled: California, USA (Subtle Spirits)
Details: Cask Strength, No Coloring, No Additives, No Filtering, Single Barrel, Fully Custom Art
ABV: 59.5% ABV
Age: 7 Years 9 Months
Mashbill: 51/49% Rye Mashbill
Yield: 444 Total Bottles
Daryll Peirce works in his studio on The Hive sketch.
The Hive in Daryll’s SF Studio.
Daryll Peirce with the Final painting of The Hive at 111 Minna Gallery in San Francisco.