PITTSBURGH — Each week, Michael Foglia and his team of distillers at Wigle Whiskey in the city’s Strip District spend their days creating some of the finest craft whiskeys in the nation. Following the distillation process, those spirits find themselves barreled in 53-gallon casks and stored at a location in Pittsburgh, spending the next 1,460-plus days — at least four years — gaining color and flavor.

Whiskey distilled and barreled four years ago is just now reaching maturity when it comes to taste and color. The finest of the lot at Wigle are now being bottled into a new line — Wigle Reserve. Foglia said this top-shelf sampling of spirits showcases his team’s love, attention, and passion for craft whiskey.

“In creating Wigle Reserve, our focus was to really lean into the exceptional craftsmanship of our distillers and present that work in a way that’s recognizable and easy to see,” said Foglia, Wigle’s senior director of production. “It’s easy to be distracted right now by all the different products that are available. But we’re whiskey people — we’re really serious whiskey people — and we wanted to reflect on that expertise in this offering to our customers. Wigle Reserve is an elevated product line that reflects all of the decisions that we make — the grains we use, the soil those grains come from, the region’s farmers that we work with — to showcase an exceptional level of craftsmanship and taste.”

Wigle has long been heralded in the craft distilling industry for getting it right. The new Wigle Reserve line will only further those accolades.

“We opted for our most solemn core whiskeys to initiate Wigle Reserve. This includes four-year bourbon, four-year rye, single-barrel renditions and cask-strength versions,” uttered Foglia. “Serious whiskey connoisseurs will really connect with these offerings.”

The distillation procedure

So, how does one concoct a whiskey that aligns with the criteria of the Wigle Reserve collection? According to Foglia, it’s all about meticulousness and comprehension that every bottle on display has endured at least a four-year journey from initial distillation to market placement.

This expedition plays a substantial part in Foglia’s mission and his crew’s — a role that overshadows merely the time taken for the whiskey to develop its rich brown hue and flavour. Upon popping open a fresh barrel and prepping the ingredients for bottling, Foglia often keeps tabs on some occurrences of the day when the whiskey was barrelled — perhaps glancing at a photo on his phone taken that day or browsing that day’s newspaper headlines. It’s a method to maintain modesty in the pursuit of producing something truly unique, while also not losing sight that the accomplishments of each day are components of a grander scheme.

During a tour of Wigle’s production facility on Smallman Street in Pittsburgh, Foglia explained the production process of Wigle’s whiskey and the meticulous attention his team gives to maintain the company’s standards. The process begins with the procurement of grains from local farmers.

Whiskey, according to Foglia, is mainly an agricultural product. “The grains we use here, like malted barley, is in virtually every Whiskey we make. We emphasize the grains that go into our whiskey. Our grains are sourced from areas within a 200-mile radius of our distillery. This not only makes it an agricultural product but also reflects our region, something that we are immensely proud of.

Every time we create a batch, we have the chance to convert a local product into something that is delightful, enjoyable, and exceptional. We cherish the opportunity to collaborate with our region’s farmers, transforming their grains into something we can take pride in, something our patrons cherish. That forms a critical part of our identity.”

The warehouse is stocked with bags of rye, malted barley, dried corn, and wheat. A mix of these ingredients is utilized to create each batch of new product, whether it’s bourbon or rye. The distillery’s journey to turn these ingredients, with the help of water and heat, into something unique begins with a visit to the hopper.

At this point, the grains are carefully weighed – for a typical bourbon, this might be 400 pounds of malt, 300 pounds of wheat, and over 1,000 pounds of corn. These are poured into a hopper where they are sent onwards to meet their destiny at the hammer mill. This machine grinds the mixture into a very fine flour, known as grist. The grist is sent into a mash tun and, after the mash is made, it proceeds to a fermenting vessel. Here, water and steam work in unison to transform the starches into simple sugars. Once the mixture has cooled, yeast is added and it is left to ferment for a period of three to five days. The mixture is then transferred to another tank where the distillation process commences.

According to Foglia, it is at this particular stage that he and his team enter what he refers to as the ‘artful’ aspect of the distillation process.

“This is the point at which we begin making decisions and determining what is going to proceed forward in our process” he explained.

The Quest for the Perfect Flavor

Embarking on a journey that spans a minimum of 208 weeks, ending with a bottle of whiskey, involves much deliberation and intensive labor. The fermented concoction is now accommodated in a fresh tank where water and steam are mixed in. The process gets going as it reaches 200 degrees when the whiskey starts vaporizing. This vapor is drawn into a pipeline springing from the tank leading into a condenser. The vapors are compressed back into a liquid, and then it undergoes several processes before emerging as the beginning of a more finished product.

The distinction lies in what is allowed into the tank. Intensive scrutiny from the entire production team who spend hours in evaluation and assessment to ensure the process is proceeding as expected is of utmost importance.

However, it’s crucial to bear in mind this is only the commencement of the process. This process spans across four years, and there’s plenty of transformation yet to happen.

Foglia states that each batch, starting from whole grain and ending as a finished spirit ready for barreling, takes around a week. The barreling process over this quadrennial period is what imparts each batch its unique flavor.

Wigle’s barrels are sourced from Louisville, Kentucky, and come in Char 3 or Char 4 varieties. The whiskey gains color once barreled and the flavors mature, with the alcohol metabolizing certain aspects of the wood into the final product. This process lends to the whiskey’s unique journey, making working at a craft distillery like Wigle a fascinating experience, according to Foglia.

“We can’t claim to have complete control over the flavors. We attempt to guide it somewhat, but it takes its own path for at least four years,” Foglia explains.

The evaluation phase for the whiskey starts roughly three and a half years after being barreled. The whiskey is assessed based on various aspects. It may be used as a blending whiskey, or it might impress with its smoothness and uniqueness in such a way that it, as Foglia described, “stops you in your tracks”. This remarkable quality could be found in an entire batch or just one singular barrel that shines amongst the rest.

“If it’s a single barrel, it needs to have experienced its journey in a way that all the flavors are harmoniously intertwined and the whiskey on its own offers a comprehensive and extraordinary experience. You begin tracking that barrel and decide, ‘Alright, this barrel was a knockout at three and a half years. Let’s see how it fares at four and a quarter years.’ Remarkable changes can occur over those nine months. Each barrel takes its own journey,” says Foglia.

“When we discover an outstanding barrel, we might decide to harvest it right away after four years and present it to our customers. Alternatively, we might opt to age it for an additional four or even eight years. This is a process that began at least four years ago. It offers a unique perspective on life.

“Whenever we uncask a barrel, I tend to reflect on the date it was barreled and think about what was going on during that time. I’ll browse through my photos, consult newspaper archives. What could be the reason behind its unique taste? Was there a drought that year? In case of a drought, the sugar levels might be different, different flavors might be dominant. It’s fascinating to be part of a team that not only produces quality whiskey, but also comprehends and acknowledges the various factors that enabled that to happen.”

Composing Wigle Reserve

Foglia remarks that at Wigle, they are completely devoted to whiskey — and not just any whiskey, but superior, extraordinary whiskey. That’s why the creation of Wigle Reserve, the epitome of top-tier whiskies, has been such an enjoyable process.

This is an opportunity for his team to shine by demonstrating their expertise through a product that is bottled in bond and ready to please the most discerning drinkers.

“For us, Wigle Reserve is fundamentally about showcasing our top-tier efforts in the realm of whiskey and crafting products that genuinely resonate with consumers,” Foglia expressed. “More than just a moniker, Wigle Reserve signifies our ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards in American craft distilling. This line has been painstakingly developed to highlight the passion and knowledge that shapes each bottle, from the selection of locally-sourced ingredients to the meticulous aging process.”

The feedback from the team has been straightforward: Wigle Reserve is “impressive.”

“Wigle Reserve illuminates our true operations, our genuine legacy. Over a decade, we have learned many lessons — and we believe we are improving. We strive towards this goal daily, and we hope Wigle Reserve reflects our dedication to producing truly distinctive whiskey,” said Foglia.

Wigle Reserve lines include:

Wigle Reserve Pennsylvania Straight Rye

Wigle Reserve Pennsylvania Straight Bourbon

Wigle Reserve Cask Strength Rye

Wigle Reserve Cask Strength Bourbon

Wigle Reserve Single Barrel Rye

Wigle Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon

“The Wigle legacy is deeply rooted in rich American history and tradition,” said Alex Moser, Wigle’s COO. “Wigle Reserve is not just a whiskey; it’s a celebration of the craft, the history, and the unwavering commitment to excellence that defines us.”

Western Pennsylvania is the birthplace of commercial whiskey production and Wigle Whiskey’s identity is deeply-rooted in American Whiskey history, celebrating the historic actions of Philip Wigle and his fight for freedom and opportunity. As the first whiskey distillery in Pittsburgh since prohibition, Wigle Whiskey has rekindled the craft distilling tradition within the region.