Henebery Spirits, Inc.
Overview of the Distillery
Henebery Spirits is a family-owned distillery that distills and bottles its own spirits in San Diego County. They combine a rye-oriented core of bottles with more experimental projects: chai- and caramel-flavored, an extreme chili release, and single malts produced by distilling beer. The products are sold from the webshop and in a tasting room, where small batches are often available.
History
Family-owned, Local Distillery
Henebery presents itself as a family-owned craft distillery that sells directly from producer to customer and offers small batches both in webshop and in their tasting room.
Collaborations and Product Development
The distillery has undertaken collaborations and special projects, including an anniversary bourbon in collaboration with The Longhairs and a gift set with three single malts that originate from beer provided by Iron Fist Brewing. When Iron Fist closed, brewer Chris Fitzgerald came to Henebery and brought the last beers, which were distilled and aged into single malts.
Raw Materials and Production
Henebery clearly works with rye as the base in many of their products: Celebrated Whiskey indicates a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% barley, and several releases are rye-based. The distillery also makes flavored spirits—chai, salted caramel, an Old Fashioned ready-to-drink mix—and experimental releases such as a chili-infused Carolina Reaper variant. The production spectrum also includes distillation of non-traditional washes: a bottle made from mono-floral orange blossom mead, and other single malts distilled from beer from a closed brewery. Production is described as small-batch and handmade, and the bottles are produced and bottled locally in San Diego County.
Aging and Barrel Types
In terms of aging, Henebery uses new American oak barrels for their bourbon releases and for some special editions: Anniversary Bourbon is aged in 53-gallon new American oak barrels for over two years. Honey Pot is aged in charred, first-run new American oak barrels, while the Dublin Mercantile Blending Co. bottle is aged for at least four years and finished in fresh cognac- and sherry-finish casks. Iron Fist single malts are the result of distilling brews that have subsequently rested in casks for over two years. These choices shape the specific releases and allow for both new oak expressions and finish experiments.
The Whiskeys
Henebery offers a core consisting of rye-based bottles (Celebrated Whiskey, Henebery Rye 92 Proof) supplemented by several flavor infusions (Chai Rye, Salted Caramel, Old Fashioned) and more experimental offerings such as a Carolina Reaper edition, a mead-based Honey Pot, and small-batch single malts distilled from beer. In addition there are collaboration releases and anniversary bottlings such as The Anniversary Bourbon. Many of the products are available in the webshop and in the tasting room, and some releases appear as limited or campaign items from time to time.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Alcohol | Age | Cask & Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henebery Celebrated Whiskey | Rye whiskey | 45 % | Base mash bill of 95% rye and 5% barley. Served at 90 proof. Described as spicy and herbaceous with hints of vanilla, orange zest and cardamom; Nose: Spicy, smooth, subtle citrus- and vanilla-notes; Taste: Peppery spice, savory, citrus and floral with subtle sweetness; Finish: Long vanilla and spice | Current; Core range; Webshop / tasting room | ||
| Henebery Rye Whiskey 92 Proof | Rye whiskey | 46 % | Release Henebery has worked toward for several years; marketed as a versatile and smooth rye, both for straight drinking and cocktails. Nose: Rich, oaky; Taste: Exceptionally smooth, savory and nutty undertones with hints of caramel and vanilla; Finish: Crisp and clean | Current; Core range; Webshop / tasting room | ||
| Henebery Chai Rye Whiskey | Flavored rye whiskey | Base rye whiskey with a prominent chai flavor profile; cardamom, vanilla, ginger and cinnamon noted as the dominating flavor directions. Suitable neat and in cocktails. | Flavor: Cardamom, vanilla, ginger and cinnamon integrated with the whiskey base | Current; Core range; Webshop / tasting room | ||
| Henebery Salted Caramel Whiskey | Flavored whiskey | 35 % | Developed from the distillery's rye base, sweet-salty caramel profile. Suitable as a shot or in cocktails. Nose: Sweet and delicate; Flavor: Rye-backbone with balance between salt and caramel; Finish: Balanced and inviting | Current; Core range; Webshop / tasting room | ||
| Henebery Old Fashioned Whiskey | Flavored rye-based ready-to-drink | 40 % | Rye-based spirit infused with gentian root and cherry bark as well as Demerara sugar; designed to be enjoyed as a ready-made cocktail, further transformable by adding ice. Nose: Lingering notes of rye, gentian root and cherry bark; Flavor: Rye-like, sweet and bitter balance; Finish: Ends as a balanced Old Fashioned simply by adding ice | Sold out; Core range; Sold out (webshop indicates sold out) | ||
| Extra Hot Carolina Reaper Whiskey | Flavored whiskey (chili-infused) | 46 % | Marketed as extremely hot; mash bill given as high rye, barley and red wheat. Served at 92 proof. Nose: Strong rye- and barley-character with dominant spicy undertone; Flavor: Intense heat from Carolina Reapers combined with spicy rye-notes; Finish: Fiery, but with a smooth ending | Current; Webshop / tasting room | ||
| Henebery Honey Pot | Whiskey (mead-distilled) | 44 % | Charred, first run new American oak | Distilled from mono-floral orange blossom mead (Twisted Horn) and aged in charred, first run new American oak (meets criteria to be called whiskey). Nose: Sweet bouquet, floral; Flavor: Dark fruit, earthy tone and honey undertones; Finish: Slight viscosity in mouthfeel, dries with sweet finish | Current; Webshop / tasting room | |
| Henebery Iron Fist Gift Set | Gift set: single malts (distilled from beer) | Lagret over 2 years | Gift set with three 375 ml single malts (Renegade, Counter Strike, Velvet Glove). These whiskeys are the result of brewer Chris Fitzgerald submitting the last Iron Fist beers, which were then distilled and aged for over two years. | Current; Webshop / tasting room | ||
| The Anniversary Bourbon | Straight bourbon | 45 % | 2+ years | New American oak (53-gallon) | 2+ years straight bourbon, produced at 90 proof and aged in 53-gallon new American oak barrels. Produced as an anniversary collaboration with The Longhairs. Nose: Vanilla, caramel, roasted oak with subtle spices and fresh corn sweetness; Taste: Smooth and approachable; honey, light toffee, warm cinnamon and roasted almonds; Finish: Medium-length with vanilla, oak and a hint of pepper | Discontinued; Product listed as sold out / not in stock in webshop |
| Dublin Mercantile Blending Co. Irish Whiskey | Irish blended whiskey | 4 years | Cognac cask; Sherry cask (finish) | Finish: 4 years aging with finishing in fresh cognac- and sherry-finish casks; Blend of grain and single malt distilled, matured and blended in Ireland; aged at least 4 years and finished in fresh cognac- and sherry-fade. | Current; Webshop / tasting room |
The Whiskies' Style and Flavor Profile
The portfolio trends in three clear directions: spicy and peppery rye (peppery spice, cardamom, ginger), sweet elements (caramel, vanilla and honey), and oak and wood character (toasted oak, light smoke, dark fruit). These directions recur in Celebrated Whiskey, Chai Rye, Salted Caramel, Honey Pot and Anniversary Bourbon and form a recognizable expression across core and specialty releases.
Visiting the Distillery
The distillery operates a tasting/sales space where small-batch releases are sold both online and in the tasting room. The opening hours are listed as Thursday 4pm to 9pm; Friday 3pm to 10pm; Saturday 3pm to 9pm; Sunday 10am to 6pm. Contact can be made via telephone (760) 440-7281 or email info@heneberywhiskey.com. webshop orders are typically dispatched within 1 business day. Visits can therefore be planned within the stated opening hours; for additional arrangements, contact via telephone or email.
The stated opening hours are Thursday 4pm to 9pm; Friday 3pm to 10pm; Saturday 3pm to 9pm; Sunday 10am to 6pm.
Philosophy and Craft
Henebery presents itself as a family-owned craft distillery with emphasis on small batches, craftsmanship and direct-to-customer sales. The product range balances between traditional rye-based releases and experiments, including infusions and distillation of alternative washes (mead and beer).