Pinhook 4-year The Big Horse Tiz Rye Hands

Pinhook 4-Year "The Big Horse" Tiz Rye Hands is a cask-strength single-barrel rye drawn from the youngest end of Pinhook's Vertical Series — a barrel-proof pick for the drinker who wants MGP's classic 95% rye spice with the raw edge left in.

Process & Profile

Distilled at MGP in Indiana from a 95% rye, 5% malted barley mash bill, then aged, blended, and bottled at the historic Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, this four-year release lands at 107.5 proof (53.75% ABV). Pinhook was founded in 2011 by certified sommelier and master blender Sean Josephs, whose "batch, not brand" philosophy means every bottling reflects its own set of barrels rather than a fixed house recipe. The Vertical Series exists to follow one group of 450 rye barrels as they mature from four to sixteen years — this is that experiment caught at year four and bottled at full strength.

On the nose, cracked black pepper, fresh-cut cedar, orange oil, dill, and a dusting of brown sugar.

On the palate, it runs hot and bright — rye-bread crust, clove, candied ginger, mint, and a streak of caramel that keeps the spice in check.

The finish is long and peppery, drying toward toasted oak and anise.

The "Big Horse" name nods to Tiz Rye Time, the thoroughbred pictured on every Vertical Series rye bottle, while "Tiz Rye Hands" puns on the way a horse's height is measured in hands. Where the older Vertical releases trade on rounded maturity — the 9-year was named best rye at the 2025 IWSC North America — this four-year is the line's live-wire counterpoint: younger, punchier, and more overtly spicy.

Serve neat in a Glencairn to read the full barrel-proof intensity, or add a few drops of water to open up the citrus and mint; it also builds a formidable Sazerac.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this whiskey?
A cask-strength single-barrel, Kentucky-matured rye from Pinhook's Vertical Series, distilled at MGP in Indiana.

What are the specs?
4 years old, 107.5 proof (53.75% ABV), 95% rye / 5% malted barley mash bill, 750 ml single barrel.

What does it taste like?
Black pepper, cedar, and orange oil on the nose; a hot, bright palate of rye crust, clove, and ginger; a long, peppery oak-and-anise finish.

How should you enjoy it?
Neat in a Glencairn, opened with a few drops of water, or in a Sazerac.

Why is this release notable?
It's a barrel-proof, single-barrel look at Pinhook's award-winning Vertical Series rye at its youngest — four years old and bottled without dilution.