Today, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and The Block Distilling Co. release a new collaborative bourbon aptly named The Night Sweats Straight Bourbon. To benefit The Marigold Project, Rateliff’s foundation, a portion of all bottle sales will fund community and nonprofit organizations that address issues of racial, social and economic justice.
Earlier this year, The Block Distilling Co. formed a partnership with The Marigold Project and debuted a variation on their most popular cocktail – the whiskey sour – to begin directing funds to the foundation. Seeing the success from the cocktail, owners Kraig, Michelle and Kameron Weaver started conversations with Kari Nott, Executive Director of The Marigold Project, on ways to grow their impact together. Considerations about creating a signature bourbon with the band emerged, presenting a mutually beneficial opportunity for the distillery and the foundation.
“We are proud to be working with our friends at The Block Distilling Co. to bring this bourbon to you,” says Rateliff. “Not only do they support family farmers with their sourcing practices, but they are also good neighbors here in Denver and passionate advocates for social justice.”
Rateliff started The Marigold Project in late 2017. The foundation supports non-profit organizations focused on solving issues of racial, social and economic justice. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with The Block - a local, family-run business that honors family farmers with their supply chain and pays attention to how they show up for their community. A good bourbon offers us opportunities to come together and solve what needs solved,” furthers Nott.
The bourbon is made from yellow, blue, and red corn, millet, and malted barley. 70% of the grain is coming from The Block’s dedicated acreage on a Missouri family farm where they are directly involved in the farming practices, the grain varietals, and the storage techniques. The whiskey is open top fermented, double distilled, and aged for a minimum of two years on charred American white oak barrels. The corn adds an expected sweetness with peppery complexity coming from the red corn, sweet tortilla notes from the blue corn, and balanced by the sweetness from the malted barley. The 36-month air seasoned barrels contribute complex sweetness far beyond the vanilla heavy commonplace and into dark honey and caramel. Bottled at 47.5% ABV it can be sipped neat, but it can also take a cube without being too watered down.
“The Block knows that a good drink can bring people together. As The Block moved out of our beginning stages of the business, we sought ways to use the brand and the spirits to support causes that we believe in,” explains Kraig Weaver, head distiller and co-owner. “Nathaniel is an incredible example of an artist using his platform to progress his values. That is why we couldn’t be more ecstatic to work with TMP. Having that evolve into a collaborative spirit with the band that aids in funding those values is a true honor.”
The pre-sale for The Night Sweats Straight Bourbon will begin on Saturday, September 18 at 11:00 am. Only 700 of the 1,000 750-ml bottles will be released during the pre-sale. Bottles are limited to 2 bottles per person and will be $82 each. All remaining bottles will be available for sale and pre-sale pickup on Friday, October 30. The bourbon will also be available at Rateliff’s new classic dive bar, the Skylark Lounge. For each bottle sold, $10 of the proceeds will be designated for The Marigold Project. To learn more about the partnership and participate in the pre-sale, visit theblockdistillingco.com/night-sweats-straight-bourbon.
