Why High-Proof Whiskey Wins the Holidays
Whiskey built to stand up to the season.
Holiday gift giving usually rewards safe choices. High-proof whiskey does the opposite—and that’s exactly why it works. Winter calls for whiskey with structure and backbone. Bigger meals, colder nights, longer conversations; lighter pours fade into the background where high-proof whiskey won’t. It shows up with weight, warmth, and flavor to keep pace with the season. When it’s done well, the flavors feel intentional rather than aggressive, the warmth earned rather than forced.
Higher proof isn’t about bravado. It’s about concentration. More alcohol means more of everything else, too—more grain character, more barrel influence, more spice and nuance that get muted at lower proofs. There’s nowhere for the whiskey to hide. The grain shows itself, the barrel influence is clear, and balance matters more. When the underlying whiskey is well crafted, proof just turns up the volume. What you’re tasting is confidence in a glass.
High-proof whiskey also gives the drinker control. Sip it exactly as it came out of the barrel, bold, layered, and uncompromising. Add a few drops of water to watch it open up, softening the heat while other aromatics bloom, or pour it over a large ice cube to make it last through a long conversation. Or, build a classic cocktail on top of it for depth of character that won’t get lost. It’s one bottle with many expressions—all by design.
This philosophy is evident in each sip of our Founder’s Reserve and Single Barrel Select series. Chosen from our best barrels and bottled at cask strength, Founder’s Reserve is crafted for drinkers who value intention, balance, and the ability to engage with a whiskey on their terms. Our Single Barrel Selects need no blending, coming out of the barrels uniquely flavored, well-balanced, and unapologetically distinct.
High-proof whiskey isn’t always about the calendar, but there’s no denying that winter is when it truly shines. When you gift a bottle of high-proof whiskey—especially a Brother Justus Founder’s Reserve or Single Barrel Select—you’re not giving a single experience. You’re giving a whiskey meant to be explored, revisited, and appreciated long after the decorations come down. Crafted with intention, bottled at cask strength, and trusted to speak for itself.
Find your bottle of Single Barrel Select using our Store Locator, and find Founder’s Reserve at the Distillery Bottle Shop (open Friday, December 26 and January 2, 2-6pm), at a retailer near you, or order online.