Shortbarrel Summer Solstice: An Orange Wine Finished Bourbon

We've had a bit of a Shortbarrel drought at Seelbach’s over the past months, mainly because their releases rarely seem to last long on the site. That makes today’s arrival of Shortbarrel Summer Solstice even more exciting.

Summer Solstice is the latest release in Shortbarrel’s Curator Series, a collection created to highlight collaborations built around rare barrels, hand-selected lots, and a shared belief that great whiskey comes from both intention and experimentation.

This release begins with a blend of bourbons aged six years and older before spending an additional nine months finishing in genuine orange wine casks in Atlanta. Bottled at 100 proof, the result is bright, vibrant, and remarkably refreshing without sacrificing the richness and structure of the bourbon underneath.

Despite the name, orange wine is not made from oranges. It is produced by fermenting white grapes with their skins, creating a textured wine with notes of citrus, dried fruit, florals, and tea-like tannins.

The result is unmistakably seasonal, but still grounded in bourbon. Summer Solstice should feel equally at home enjoyed neat, over a large cube, or as the foundation for a bright, fruit-forward Old Fashioned.

The nose opens with candied orange peel and honey-glazed ham, giving both sweetness and a slight savory touch alongside cinnamon, fresh apricot, and orange marmalade.

The palate is damp yet clinging, buttery and coating, giving way to fresh brioche with fig jam and honey, but not without a wave of vanilla bean and seasoned oak.

The finish returns to the orange marmalade note, fresh yet slightly bitter, while white pepper and more of that sweet and savory glazed note come back out alongside a touch of leather and gentle wine tannins.