Dark Arts Whiskey House
In the heart of the bourbon industry, where tradition and heritage thrive, our founders embarked on a quest for something more. As whiskey enthusiasts, they were excited by the industry's rapid growth but sensed a void—an untapped magic waiting to be unleashed. Their journey began with a revelation: the art of whiskey making is not just science, but an alchemical fusion of flavors and possibilities. Driven by a passion for elevating the role of Master Blenders to artists, prioritizing taste, and defying convention, Dark Arts Whiskey House was born.
Dark Arts is a blending, rebarreling, and finishing house in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, with a process that is anything but ordinary. Inspired by the alchemists of old, our Master Blenders wield underutilized maturation and blending techniques to transform wood, fire, grain and water into liquid gold. Using equal parts mastery and belief in the unknown, we procure high-quality ingredients, create custom blends, and age them in unconventional barrels to craft unique and elevated whiskeys.
But Dark Arts Whiskey House is more than just a destination; it’s an immersive experience. Instead of the typical distillery tour and tasting, we offer a hands-on excursion into the world of experimental blends. Savor whiskey straight from the cask, or take part in the time-honored tradition of hand-filling and hand-bottling your own personalized blend. Veer off the beaten bourbon trail and onto a new path forged by the creativity and skill of our Master Blenders, with no limits to the hidden gems and combinations awaiting you.
Every sip is its own journey of discovery. Dark Arts Whiskey House caters to those seeking a soul-stirring experience, one that expands your whiskey worldview. Whether you're a seasoned dabbler or an intrepid apprentice, we welcome you to our house, where experimentation reigns supreme and innovation knows no bounds.
7 Stages of Whiskey Alchemy
FINISHING
This unique symbol represents the switching of barrels during the finishing process
MATURATION
The alchemy symbol for wood represents the barrels our whiskey is matured in
DISTILLATION
This is the official alchemy symbol for distillation
BLENDING
This is the official alchemy symbol for mixing/blending
BOTTLING
The alchemy symbol for glass represents bottling
CROP GROWTH
The symbol for Saturn: The God of Agriculture
FERMENTATION
This is the official alchemy symbol for fermentation
Barely Legal Bourbon
Small Batch Three Barrel Blend
Cask Strength
51% Corn, 39% Rye, 10% malted rye
Age 6-7 Years
Nose: On the nose, you can detect the delightful aroma of ripe orchard fruits and a gentle infusion of rye spice. There is also a hint of caramelized sugar, a touch of tangy lemon zest, and the comforting scent of graham crackers.
Palate: When you take a sip, you’ll discover the smooth and indulgent taste of honeyed chocolate. There’s a satisfying blend of cherry cola and citrus notes, enhanced by a sprinkle of cinnamon spice.
Finish: As you savor the finish, you’ll experience a rich and buttery mouthfeel. A delightful wave of vanilla, caramel, and fruity flavors lingers on your palate, mingling with the subtle infusion of oak spice.
French Oak Bourbon: Custom Toasted Jupilles French Oak
Small Batch Three Barrel Blend
108 Proof
60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% malted barley
Age 6-7 Years
Nose: Upon first nosing, you’ll be greeted by the enticing fragrance of spiced caramel, enticing you to take a closer sniff. Accompanied by the delightful aroma of ripe red fruits and crisp apples, the scents intermingle and create a harmonious bouquet reminiscent of a delicious funnel cake.
Palate: On the palate, prepare for a delightful experience as sweet raspberry flavors take center stage, complemented by the savory notes of toasted oak. As the taste lingers, you’ll discover subtle hints of tres leche, evoking thoughts of a creamy and indulgent dessert, accentuated by a touch of cinnamon spice.
Finish: As the experience comes to its conclusion, you’ll appreciate the creamy mouthfeel that emerges. The flavors evolve, revealing a complex array of sensations, ranging from sweet toffee to velvety vanilla cream. A subtle hint of cold smoke adds an intriguing layer to this enticing finale.
Amburana Rye: Custom Toasted Amburana Oak
Small Batch Three Barrel Blend
108 Proof
95% Rye 5% Malted Barley
Age 6-7 Years
Nose: On the nose you’ll encounter the alluring scent of butter cream, delicately infused with the inviting aroma of cinnamon sugar and the freshness of apple and ginger.
Palate: As you take your first sip, prepare yourself for a charming experience akin to savoring a warm apple pie à la mode. e taste unfolds with the delectable combination of French vanilla ice cream, reminiscent of a delightful dessert. The flavors are further accentuated by a subtle hint of warm spices like Vietnamese cinnamon dusting. A luxurious caramel drizzle adds a touch of sweetness and enhances the overall experience.
Finish: The finish is long-lasting and multifaceted. You’ll discover the pleasant richness of toasted coconut, paired with the juiciness of red fruits. A final note reminiscent of freshly baked rye bread adds an intriguing layer to the overall sensory experience.
Toasted Mizunara Bourbon
Why Mizunara?
Mizunara oak is no ordinary wood—it’s a legend, whispered about in the hallowed halls of Japanese whisky lore. With its elusive and temperamental nature, Mizunara demands patience, precision, and reverence. But the reward? Notes of sandalwood, exotic spices, and a mysterious incense-like depth that we’ve harnessed to elevate our bourbon into the realm of the extraordinary.
100 Proof
64%Corn, 24%Rye, 12%Malted Barley
Kentucky Bourbon
Nose: An inviting bouquet of butterscotch and sandalwood leads the charge, mingling with toasted oak and dried berries. Notes of vanilla custard and freshly baked bread evoke a comforting warmth, setting the stage for the indulgence to come.
Palate: Rich and creamy on the tongue, this bourbon unveils layers of snickerdoodle cookies, gingerbread spice, and zesty lemon. Brown butter yeast rolls and hints of cardamom and nutmeg weave through a backdrop of vanilla cream and toasted oak, offering a dynamic and satisfying complexity.
Finish: A luxuriously long finish unfolds in waves of sugar cookie dough and warming baking spices, including nutmeg and cinnamon. Subtle toasted oak and creamy vanilla give way to lingering hints of leather, toffee, and the sweet depth of stewed fruits, leaving an enduring impression of balance and sophistication.
Limited Time Offerings
Blunt Blend - Madeira & Armagnac Rye
The Blunt Blend returns with “Dank Arts: Batch #2, a daring fusion of 7-year-old cask strength rye whiskey, masterfully finished in Armagnac and Madeira wine casks.
This year’s release continues to defy tradition, delivering an intricate medley of flavors that push the boundaries of what rye whiskey can be.
Bold, complex, and unapologetically unique - this is whiskey reimagined.
Other brands offer cigar blends but as Macaulay says, "I don't smoke cigars. I smoke blunts."
Maple Amburana Rye - “Ripple Rye”
Step into a world where tradition meets bold creativity. Our latest Limited Release, crafted by our Master Alchemists takes the beloved Amburana Rye to a whole new level.
This is a whiskey that defies the ordinary—a rich and decadent expression that’s perfect for those cold, cozy nights by the fire, surrounded by friends and family you actually like.
Imagine a gingerbread village being bombed by buttercream icing, while the red gumdrop brigade comes in for the final annihilation!
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Fresh baked gingerbread, spiced cherry, with hints of sweet buttercream icing.
Palate: Maple syrup intertwines with the complexity of rye, creating a rift of bold flavors — think red gumdrops, caramelized sugars, a wave of holiday spice and warmth.
Finish: A long lingering, sticky, sweet, and slightly spiced. Maple and a subtle hint of the amburana’s signature flavors dusted with cacao.
Press
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We Tried the First Whiskey Made to Pair With Marijuana
It started as a warehouse joke. “Everyone does a cigar batch or a cigar blend,” says Macaulay Minton, president and chief alchemist at Dark Arts Whiskey House in Lexington, Kentucky. “I’m a cannabis consumer, so I said, ‘Let’s make a blunt blend.’” Minton’s crew chuckled, then got serious, yanking some barrels for a blend of straight rye whiskeys that would be ideal to pair with marijuana.
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Dark Arts Whiskey House Straight Bourbon French Oak Finished Review!
The Last Call review on YouTube
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Dark Arts Barely Legal Bourbon (Batch 2)
Utilizing only two main grain varieties, Dark Arts Barely Legal Bourbon delivers a sip that’s unsurprisingly a balance of sweet and spice.
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Dark Arts French Oak Stave Finished Small Batch Bourbon (Batch 1)
Taking a familiar base bourbon and adding a unique species of French oak for stave finishing helps differentiate this bourbon from the pack.
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Dark Arts Whiskey House Amburana Oak Stave Finished, Small Batch Rye (Batch 01)
A solid Amburana finished high rye whiskey that’s more rye than Amburana…Because it’s so easy to overdo Amburana finishing, this works quite well in the case of this Dark Arts Whiskey and serves as a great primer for anyone interested in exploring Amburana finished ryes.
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BARELY LEGAL BOURBON by Dark Arts Whiskey House
Barely Legal Bourbon by Dark Arts Whiskey House boasts a very unique mashbill from MGP that is comprised of 51% Corn, 39% Rye, 10% malted rye. Dark Arts is the first to bring this mashbill to the market. But is it any good? Let's find out!
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![Ryan and Randall from Julio's liquors visiting Macaulay Minton in the rickhouse at Dark Arts Whiskey]()
At this Massachusetts Retailer, the Private Barrel Program Goes Beyond Selecting Single Barrels
Like an artist combining colors on a canvas, whiskey-centric retailers are now becoming skillfully involved in the art of blending and finishing barrels of whiskey. “It goes way beyond just picking a barrel,” says Ryan Maloney, owner of Julio’s Liquors in Westborough, Massachusetts.
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Meet Macaulay Minton, The Wizard Behind Dark Arts Whiskey House
Macaulay Minton, the visionary behind Dark Arts Whiskey House, is a wizard in the realm of whiskey. His magic lies not in sorcery like Harry Potter, but in the transformative art of whiskey blending and finishing. His official job title at Dark Arts is President and Chief Alchemist.
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The Bourbon Swami: Macaulay M. Minton on the Dark Art of Distilling
We are joined here by our very good friend, indeed our brother; Macaulay Minton, the Bourbon Swami. In this episode Macaulay takes us on a spiritual journey including personal growth, the haunted grounds of Wilderness Trail distillery, a Boone related cave, Alchemy, Ayahuasca, and his new Dark Arts project.
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New Whiskey Brands You Need To Know For 2025, Ranked
#7. Dark Arts Whiskey House is an amazing emerging non-distilling producer based right in Lexington, Kentucky, that’s putting out some mouth-watering whiskey sourced from Kentucky and Indiana.
Dark Arts Whiskey House is doing a little of everything, with stellar finished barrels and powerhouse Indiana ryes making up their portfolio, but these straight bourbon whiskeys are the best showcase of “Chief Alchemist” Macaulay Minton’s prowess as Master Blender and Taster.
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Five Small Southern Bourbon Producers Making a Splash on the World Stage
These bottles proved they can hang with the big boys at this year's San Francisco World Spirits Competition
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Why aren't people talking about this bourbon? Dark Arts Bourbon Review!
In this video we review Dark Arts Bourbon. Why aren't people talking this bourbon? This is a new bourbon that people should pay attention to immediately... We hope you enjoy the review.
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The World’s Best Rye Whiskey—According To The 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Dark Arts Whiskey House-Straight Rye Whiskey Finished with Toasted Amburana Oak Staves
Dark Arts Whiskey House in Lexington, Kentucky, uses underutilized maturation and blending techniques to create liquid gold. It's only fitting that their Straight Rye Whiskey would grab the judge’s attention. By adding toasted Ambrurana Oak staves to whiskey that has been aged at least six years, they have created a spirit that the judges called out due to its complex and aromatic nature.
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Dark Arts Whiskey House: Blending Tradition with Innovation
Dark Arts Whiskey House incorporates philosophies from the ancient art of alchemy into the modern whiskey-making process. “Thinking old to make new” is a thought that kept circling through my head during our time at Dark Arts. Macaulay’s fascination with whiskey was nurtured growing up in Kentucky's rich whiskey history, inspired the establishment of Dark Arts. With a focus on blending, rebarreling, and finishing rather than traditional distillation, Dark Arts looks to stand out in the craft whiskey industry.
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Unveiling the Finest Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon Finalists from the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
The 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition has highlighted some exceptional special barrel-finished bourbons, showcasing the mastery and creativity of distillers. These bourbons are distinguished by their unique aging processes in special barrels, which add depth and character to the final product. Here are the top finalists:
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Master of the Dark Arts
Join us for a spirited journey as we dive deep into a remarkable lineup of whiskeys from Penelope and Dark Arts!
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Dark Arts Whiskey House
Macauley Minton known on Instagram as @thebourbonswami is the Founder and Head Honcho at Dark Arts Whiskey House. He made time for the team to stop by and chat while they were in Louisville, to see how and where the magic happens. He talks about his vision and where he is taking his brand in the future. Pour one up and vibe as they find out about his projects. Cheers. Stay Black and Keep it Brown.
