Blackened
Blackened is a super-premium American whiskey brand co-created by legendary heavy metal band Metallica in partnership with the late master distiller and blender Dave Pickerell. The brand is best known for its signature approach of finishing whiskey while blasting it with low-frequency sound waves from Metallica's music, a proprietary process the company calls 'Black Noise.'
Rooted at the intersection of music and craft distilling, Blackened blends sourced American whiskeys and finishes them in barrels enhanced by sonic energy. The collection includes bourbon and rye expressions along with special limited releases tied to the band's catalog, appealing to whiskey enthusiasts and Metallica fans alike.
Blackened is a super-premium American whiskey brand co-created by legendary heavy metal band Metallica in partnership with the late master distiller and blender Dave Pickerell.
Read more about Blackened
Blackened is a super-premium American whiskey brand co-created by legendary heavy metal band Metallica in partnership with the late master distiller and blender Dave Pickerell. The brand is best known for its signature approach of finishing whiskey while blasting it with low-frequency sound waves from Metallica's music, a proprietary process the company calls 'Black Noise.'
Rooted at the intersection of music and craft distilling, Blackened blends sourced American whiskeys and finishes them in barrels enhanced by sonic energy. The collection includes bourbon and rye expressions along with special limited releases tied to the band's catalog, appealing to whiskey enthusiasts and Metallica fans alike.
History and the Black Noise Process
Blackened was launched in 2018 as a collaboration between Metallica and master distiller Dave Pickerell, who was renowned for his work at Maker's Mark and WhistlePig before his passing that same year. The brand carried forward his blending expertise, combining whiskeys from multiple sources into a distinctive final spirit.
The defining feature of Blackened is its 'Black Noise' finishing process. Whiskey is placed in barrels and subjected to Metallica music played through subwoofers, using low-frequency sound waves intended to agitate the liquid and increase its interaction with the wood. The band has curated specific playlists for different releases, tying the sensory experience of the whiskey to their music.
Following Pickerell's death, the blending role was taken up by master distiller and blender Rob Dietrich, who has continued to develop the range and its finishing techniques while maintaining the brand's founding vision.
House Style and the Range
The flagship Blackened American Whiskey is a blend of bourbons and ryes finished in Black Noise-treated brandy casks, producing a rich, approachable profile with notes of caramel, dark fruit, honey, and spice. It is bottled at cask strength that varies slightly by batch.
Beyond the core expression, Blackened has released a variety of limited and special editions. These include rye whiskeys and cask-finished bottlings, as well as collaborations and album-themed releases that pair specific Metallica records with distinct barrel finishes. Each batch is finished with a curated soundtrack, making the range dynamic and collectible.
Because Blackened blends and finishes sourced whiskey rather than distilling from scratch, the emphasis is on cask selection, blending, and the sonic finishing method that gives the brand its identity.
Buying and Serving Blackened
Blackened whiskeys are widely sought after by both spirits collectors and music fans, with limited editions often becoming harder to find after release. When shopping, check the specific expression and batch, since cask-strength bottlings and finishes can vary.
For serving, the flagship expression stands up well neat or with a few drops of water to open up its brandy-cask sweetness. It also works in premium cocktails such as an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, where its fruit-forward, spicy character adds depth.
We ship Blackened whiskey nationwide where permitted. Browse the current selection above to find the core American Whiskey alongside any available limited releases.