Decades ago, as young adults, and naive whiskey drinkers, my little group of friends and I would typically drink lower proof whiskey like Jim Beam or Jack Daniel’s. Don’t get me wrong, both are great, but we’re talking 80 proof whiskey which we diluted even further by mixing it with Coke or Pepsi. However, occasionally, when we were feeling especially crazy, we would grab a bottle of the highest proof whiskey that was readily available to us — Wild Turkey 101. This bottle had an almost legendary status because of its “high proof.” Many tales had been told of partygoers consuming the higher proof Turkey and going out of their mind or even having otherworldly experiences. For the record, these “otherworldly experiences” may have had more to do with the 1993 movie “Fire in the Sky” than the Wild Turkey. Fortunately, that never happened to us but then again, we also mixed the 101 with Coke or Pepsi as well. Silly kids.
Wild Turkey 101 would eventually become a regular in my lineup, but I typically stayed away from the higher-proof pours. Of course, I had tried a few rocket-fuel inspired offerings over the years, but nothing really stood out to me. That is, until I stumbled across a bottle of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof in 2019. Batch C919 in fact. Aged for 12 years and clocking in at a whopping 136.8 proof, this was the first whiskey I ever tried that drank well below its proof. Not only did this magical bottle drink easy, it was absolutely delicious. We’re talking full-on flavor. Rivers of caramel, unending fruit and dense oak that would transport you to another place. Needless to say, this was a catalyst for me. Today, I prefer the higher proof offerings and I prefer them neat.
While technically, the 136.8 proof batch C919 wasn’t hazmat, it was close. Hazmat whiskey is defined as whiskey 140 proof or higher, under 49 CFR 175.10(a)(4), which is the federal regulation where the FAA banned all whiskey at or above 140 proof on aircraft due to its highly flammable and hazardous nature. Today, especially with light whiskey making a comeback, it is common to see a bottle on the shelf above 140 proof.
What made the Elijah Craig so different for me, was the amount of flavor imbued in that
spectacular pour. Typically, the higher the proof, the less flavor present. In order to get hazmat level alcohol content, the spirit either has to be distilled multiple times or distilled in specific types of commercial stills. Either way, the process strips out much of the congeners and other bits that provide the traditional whiskey flavors. As proof goes up, flavor goes down. Think about pure grain alcohol, like Everclear. There is no flavor in this 190-proof behemoth because it is almost exclusively ethyl alcohol.
Of course, flavor doesn’t come just from the mash bill and distillation process, it also comes from the barrels and/or finishing process. When looking for a hazmat whiskey, look for something that has either been finished, or has been aged for many years. I recently saw a hazmat light whiskey that was aged for 16 years priced around $100.
If you haven’t tried hazmat whiskey, I suggest you check it out as there are some fantastic offerings available. However, be careful. Temper it down with water, mix it with something or add some ice cubes. If not, it will quickly sneak up on you and turn you into a sloppy, table-dancing goat king before you know it. It may even transport you to another
world.
