Edition 1 • FEBRUARY, 2026

Strange Raven


High Rye Straight Bourbon • 6 Year • 100 Proof


Where storytelling meets transparency. A single barrel limited release with truth in every pour, documented from grain to glass. Refined enough to savor neat, bold enough to elevate any cocktail with 36% Rye.

strange raven & the charm

Strange Raven honors the convergence of Mi’kmaq heritage and complete transparency.  In indigenous tradition, the raven is revered as shapeshifter and truth-keeper – messenger between worlds and the guide through transformation.

This symbolism inspired both our name and the distinctive raven skill charm adorning each bottle.  The charm represents my Mi’kmaq ancestry and personal journey of transformation.  It’s a promise that every bottle carries documented provenance, verified claims, and story you can trace.  Just as the raven reveals hidden truths, Strange Raven brings honest transparency to craft bourbon.

Each release bearing this symbol invites you into our mascot – Meka’s world.  Where old world craft tradition meets modern verification, and every pour tells a story you can verify from grain to glass.

THREE PILLARS

Our core principles revolve around these pillars
STORYTELLING

MeKa’s chronicle guides each release. Labels, lore, and limited editions unfold like a graphic novel, one chapter at a time.

AUTHENTICITY

Source locations, weather logs, barrel details, aging factors underpin every claim for a bourbon with no vagueness about its character.

    Explore the barrel passport below:

TRANSPARENCY

Each barrel comes with a barrel passport, with complete provenance.  Grain sources, water chemistry, aging conditions.  Verified transparency.

OUR BOURBON

Edition 1 Tasting Notes: delivers what high-rye bourbon should be: bold spice balanced with creamy depth. Cinnamon and vanilla lead to layers of caramel and rye spice, finishing with burnt toffee and the signature minty character that defines 36% rye at its best. This single barrel showcases complexity refined enough to savor neat, bold enough to elevate any cocktail.

 

  • AGE:                         6 YEARS, 7 MONTHS
  • MASHBILL:             60% CORN/36% RYE/4% BARLEY
  • PROOF:                   100
  • CASK NO:                3D-3893
  • LOT NO:                   19F19
  • DISTILLED DATE:  JUNE 19, 2019
  • BOTTLED DATE:    JANUARY, 2026
  • DISTILLED IN:        CRESTWOOD, KY

Yellowstone, October 2025

BRIAN WARD

FOUNDER AND HEAD OF BOURBON

After 15 years in the wine and spirits industry – managing the Cask100 investment fund, serving as Director of Wine & Spirits for Winston Artory Group, Auction Acquisition Advisor for K&L Wine and managing the Bourbon40 Index – I founded Strange Raven to bridge the gap between craft storytelling and complete transparency.

 
My Mi’kmaq heritage and personal journey converged to create a bourbon about storytelling and full transparency.  This raven appeared on a trip to Yellowstone confirming my decision to move forward.  A reminder that the guide is revealed when you’re ready to see it.  Each Strange Raven release reflects this commitment:  authentic stories, verified claims, bourbon you can trace from grain to glass.
 

Welcome to Strange Raven

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