Slipknot Is Launching Its Own Line of Whiskey
Percussionist Shawn Crahan, aka “Clown,” blended the booze himself.
Slipknot is joining forces with Iowa’s Cedar Ridge Distillery to launch an all-new whiskey appropriately named No. 9.
Fans of the nine-piece metal outfit from Des Moines—or “maggots,” as they call themselves—can probably guess which member is behind the boozy collab based on this admittedly freaky teaser set to an instrumental of their latest single, “Unsainted”:
Indeed, Slipknot percussionist and music video director Shawn Crahan, aka “Clown,” blended both expressions—the 90-proof No. 9 and harder 99-proof No. 9 Reserve.
Without having tried either, it’s worth noting that Forbes’ spirit expert, Fred Minnick, really likes the stuff, writing that No. 9 “the best liquid distilled” in Iowa. (Templeton Rye might have something to say about that.)
Per Forbes, here are Minnick’s tasting notes:
No. 9
A blend of straight rye and straight bourbon mashed, fermented, distilled and aged at the Cedar Ridge Distillery. The blend is 60% bourbon (three to four years old; mashbill: 74% corn,14% malted rye, 12% malted barley) and 40% rye (three to four years old; mashbill: 51% rye, 34% malted barley, 15% corn and malted barley.)
It begins quite floral, with hints of honeysuckle and lily. Then, corn and caramel hit. On the palate, cornbread, jalapeño, apple butter and a hint of charred marshmallow. A lovely medium finish offers a hint of chocolate. This is very much a worthy everyday pour.
No. 9 Reserve
Same mashbills and blending percentages as above. But minimum age on barrels is 4 years old.
Think cinnamon, clove, butter and oak. As it hits the palate, it coats it with this goodness, buttery almost, dripping down the side of the cheeks and warms all throughout. There’s a comfort here, cornbread-like, with notes of fried apple pie, apricot and macaroon. It finishes medium to long with a hint of bananas foster.
“On our first visit to Cedar Ridge, we were outdoors, about 90 degrees and we cracked a few barrels,” Crahan told Forbes of the partnership.
“It was the taste and the fragrance I wanted—the way I always envisioned it.”
No. 9 and No. 9 Reserve, priced at $39.99 and $69.99, will be available nationwide beginning in August.
Until then, fans of metal-branded booze can always reach for Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey.