Only 60 Bottles: Fairhaven Liquor Store Launching Exclusive Bourbon

FAIRHAVEN (WBSM) — A Fairhaven liquor store that has become known as a destination for whiskey and bourbon enthusiasts is about to pour them all a double shot of distilled delight.

Stevie’s Wine & Spirits on Huttleston Avenue will soon debut its new private label bourbon, a partnership with Dark Arts Whiskey House out of Lexington, Kentucky and its “Chief Alchemist,” Macaulay Minton.

“I’m so excited,” Kelly Smith, manager of Stevie’s, told WBSM. “We have the name of the store on the bottle and everything.”

Inside the Dark Arts Whiskey Blending Process

Minton is considered a master taster and blender, having studied whiskey practically down to the atomic level. He has a background in microbiology as well as distillation, and blends the two together as seamlessly as he blends the expressions of Dark Arts’ whiskey. By aging his blends in various types of barrels or with different wood staves, Minton is able to create robust flavors for the discerning palate.

“What I love about the Dark Arts line is just how Macaulay works with the whiskey and manages to extract the flavors from the barrels or the staves that he uses in such a unique way that it’s still picking up the flavor,” Smith said. “You still get all of the notes and the warmth and everything amazing out of the wood, but it is not overly sweet. He balances it so well.”

Stevie’s has been building a local following for Dark Arts with its “purple dot” system. If you see the purple dot on a price label on the shelf under something you’d like to sample, you can ask for a taste. With over 450 whiskeys, bourbons, Scotches and ryes available in its Whiskey Room, there's a lot to try.

Almost the entire Dark Arts lineup either has a purple dot or has been featured at one of Stevie’s frequent tasting events, and it has definitely become a favorite of the Rackhouse Club, the store’s whiskey-loving membership group.

What Makes This Bourbon Unique

Now, it is taking things to a whole new level with its own branded Dark Arts blend, which Smith called “a home run.”

“It’s a Kentucky straight bourbon finished in an apple brandy cask,” she said. “It is aged five and a half years, it is 109.94 proof, but yet somehow still super smooth. It is cask strength.”

Why This Release Is So Limited

The new Stevie’s private label bourbon from Dark Arts will also be the rare mix that is the sweet spot for true whiskey connoisseurs: extremely limited, but also affordable.

“There are only 10 cases available in this half of the country. We purchased half of the cask, the other half lives in California, there are 60 bottles, and once it’s gone, it’s gone forever,” Smith said. “The most exciting thing is the price point. It’s actually on the shelf for less than the base offerings of the Dark Arts line.”

When and Where to Try the New Dark Arts Apple Brandy Bourbon

Stevie’s is holding an official launch party for its new private label bourbon on Friday, April 24 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the store. Attendees age 21 and over will be able to sample the new bourbon as well as other Dark Arts offerings.

“We’re really going to make a fun time out of it, so I hope everyone can make it,” Smith said.

You can follow Stevie's Wine & Spirits on Instagram for future tastings and other events.

📍Stevie's Wine & Spirits, 115 Huttleston Avenue, Fairhaven, MA 02719