If you've never heard of Atlanta's ASW Distillery, it's time you did. This highly awarded craft operation has racked up some solid insider and industry attention in their short lifespan with their sourced bottlings, and now that they're hitting full stride with their own make coming to maturity, they're about to go next level. Self-styled "Southern Pot-Still Pioneers," the team headed by master distiller Justin Manglitz uses a high-wheat mash bill and double distillation on Vendome copper pot stills to craft some exceptional-quality distillate that is then subjected to a wide array of cask finishes, some of which can only be described as highly experimental. This avant-garde approach has naturally given rise to their aptly named Fiddler range of whiskeys.
In a stroke of mad genius, the Big Green Egg collaboration is perhaps their most intriguing experiment yet. Long story short, Manglitz decided to toast or char barrel staves in a Big Green Egg smoker (yes, the same that now has a rabid sub-culture among barbecue fans), and use them for finishing. "Gimmicky? Maybe, but the results in the bottle bear it out, big time," notes B-21's Andrew Kitz. The 100-proof flagship Big Green Egg bottling offers a notable influence of the finishing process in its "slightly austere yet subtly complex" profile that centers on the savory, spicy side of things despite ASW's high-wheat, signature mash. The Big Green Egg Georgia Heartwood bottling, by contrast, boasts an "extremely opulent" aromatic profile with a "broad, tannic, structurally firm palate" showcasing superb definition and depth. For single cask effort, Manglitz hand-harvested oak from north Georgia forests and applied the BGE treatment to every third stave. "Whatever you think of the method ... something is working out in incredible fashion here," declares Andrew.
Finally, the Fiddler Encore #2 Cigar Batch is just such an experimental effort, blended from mostly 7-year-old juice finished in port pipe, maple syrup cask, and sherry butt. The result is "a one-of-a-kind bourbon profile" according to B-21 Spirits Buyer Andrew Kitz, with an "absolutely gorgeous" aromatic profile and a "luxurious ... incredibly complex" palate. You might look askance at the finishing regimen, but once you taste the results, we're sure you'll be on board in a big way. This is quintessential high-wheat opulence with its own singular personality that is poised to put ASW on the map in a big way. As Andrew notes, "if this release in any indication at the direction they’re headed, cult bourbon fans are going to start taking serious notice of them."
One of the remarkable aspects of this Atlanta-based distillery is their in-house cooperage, which allows them to do all sorts of wild experimentations. While not everything hits, the Big Green Egg collaboration certainly does. In case you’re wondering, yes, we’re talking about that Big Green Egg, the famous smoker that now has a rabid cult following. Barbecue fans know. Long story short, Master Distiller Justin Manglitz chars and toasts various staves in a Big Green Egg ceramic smoker, and then subjects their high-wheat mash, 7-year-old juice to a few months finishing with the various staves. This is a racy, savory, vibrant profile that’ll make for a killer Old Fashioned, but you can just as easily sip it with a cube or two on a warm afternoon. The nose starts off with crisp red apple and pear notes, along with spicy cumin, paprika, and deep cherry wood aromas. The BGE effect comes through clearly in a subtle but undeniable smoky character that oscillates between cool campfire embers and a more acrid gunflint tone. Hints of kettle corn and burnt toffee provide additional depth. The medium-weight palate shows much the same character as the nose, with the smoky BGE character coming through in more pronounced fashion on the medium-long finish, which also carries a touch of medicinal, herbaceous lift. With a lot of “experimental” whiskeys, I often wonder what’s the point? Not so here – it’s clear that Manglitz’ hair-brained scheme worked, and it produced something truly unique and compelling.
92 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (May 2026)
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