Alice in Chains has joined forces with Chicago’s Few Spirits to release “All Secrets Known,” a limited-edition craft whiskey that’s been finished in tequila barrels.
The name is a nod to the opening track of the Seattle grunge legends’ 2009 album Black Gives Way to Blue, which was their first full-length release without a contribution from late original vocalist Layne Staley.
Master Spirits Distiller Paul Hletko filled casks formerly used to age tequila with Few bourbon and let it mature for six months before bottling All Secrets Known. The result is a hard-rocking 101-proof sipper with bold, sweet and spicy bourbon top notes, grassy agave undertones and—according to a lucky Maxim editor who got to sample some—a warm, caramel-like finish.
In a press release, Hletko described the rockers’ distinctive sound as a big inspiration behind the decision to do a tequila barrel-aged bourbon.
“Nobody sounds like Alice In Chains. We were inspired by their courage to create a sound that flouted convention and thought, ‘There are lots of tequilas finished in bourbon barrels, but it’s rare to find a widely-available bourbon finished in tequila barrels. Let’s do that instead.'”
The bottle’s freaky custom label features a mashup of hand-drawn illustrations and 1800s-era imagery and was created by Status Serigraph’s Justin Helton. He has previously worked with musical giants like Phish, The Avett Brothers, My Morning Jacket, Ween, and The Black Keys.
Helton added that his fandom for Alice played a part in the design.
“I’ve been a fan of Alice In Chains forever with Jar of Flies being one of the first CDs I ever owned,” says Helton. “’I Stay Away’ and ‘No Excuses’ were on repeat in my room. For this design I found inspiration in the name “All Secrets Known.” The eye in the mouth is a play on seeing all that’s been spoken. The color scheme is a nod to Black Gives Way to Blue.”
Priced at $75 for a fifth, All Secrets Known bourbon will be available at stores in California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Washington.
Fortunately, anyone can get it online through ReserveBar.com.