Watershed Barrel Strength Bourbon is slated to release on September 19, 2020, at Watershed Distillery’s Columbus, OH-based bottle shop. Liquor store allocation to select stores throughout Ohio begins on September 21, with allocation to additional U.S. markets to follow in early October, including Georgia, Florida, Kentucky and Michigan.

The barrel-strength bourbon is Watershed’s most mature and complex bourbon to date. It aged six years before finishing in spent apple brandy barrels.

This expression, Watershed’s first-ever barrel-strength bourbon offering, will mark the brand’s 10-year anniversary as an independent Ohio distillery. 

“We’ve been working on this bourbon for quite some time now,” says Watershed Distillery’s CEO Greg Lehman. “But our work has paid off as this spirit exceeds all of our expectations — rich on the nose, balanced on the palate with a crisp red apple finish from the apple brandy barrel. It’s truly a unique bourbon, and I know I speak for the whole team when I say we can’t wait for our supporters and craft spirits fans to get their hands on a bottle.” 

The anniversary barrel-strength bourbon layers aromas of baked apples and toasted almonds with flavors of warm baking spices, dark fruit and caramel, the company says, and ends with a crisp red apple finish and medium mouthfeel.

Watershed Barrel Strength Bourbon is 119.3 proof. It’s available in 750-ml. bottles with a shelf price of $69.99 in Ohio and similar pricing in other markets.