The Joe Nuxhall Baseball Bat Aged Bourbon Photo: Provided by Cincinnati Distilling

A Cincinnati distillery is collaborating with a local nonprofit that gives everyone the chance to play baseball to create a one-of-a-kind bourbon.

Cincinnati Distilling, in partnership with the Joe Nuxhall Foundation, is launching the limited-time Joe Nuxhall Baseball Bat Aged Bourbon to pay homage to the Cincinnati Reds legend. The bourbon is 90-proof and features the distillery’s award-winning mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley, which offers a smooth yet robust taste.

What’s special about this bourbon is the aging process, says Cincinnati Distilling. The bourbon is infused with maple baseball bats as a tribute to Nuxhall’s baseball career. Part of the proceeds from each bottle sold will also go toward the foundation, which carries on the former Reds pitcher’s legacy by providing adaptive recreation and community programs that allow athletes with disabilities to play baseball.

“We’re honored to team up with the Joe Nuxhall Foundation to craft a bourbon that celebrates Joe’s legacy while giving back to the community,” Josh Engel, marketing director of Cincinnati Distilling, said in a press release. “The maple baseball bat aging process brings an interesting character to this bourbon, and we can’t wait for fans to taste it.”

The Joe Nuxhall Baseball Bat Aged Bourbon Photo: Provided by Cincinnati Distilling

“Oh, how my Dad would have enjoyed this partnership with Cincinnati Distilling,” said Kim Nuxhall, president and board chairman of The Joe Nuxhall Foundation. “He loved Cincinnati because it’s a community built on compassion and character, and by sharing his love of the game through this insanely creative bourbon, Cincinnati Distilling will help us create even greater opportunities for athletes with disabilities [through the Joe Nuxhall Foundation]. He would have been so grateful — and he also would’ve been the first in line for a sample!”

The Joe Nuxhall Baseball Bat Aged Bourbon in available to pre-order at cincinnatidistilling.com. Bottles must be picked up on April 12 at March First Brewing on Fountain Square, where the joe Nuxhall Foundation will join local Reds sports broadcasting icons for the event launch. Each bottle is $44.99, plus tax and a small reservation fee.

March First Brewing (Fountain Square), 10 Fountain Square Plaza, Downtown. More info: cincinnatidistilling.com.

This article appears in Mar 19 – Apr 2, 2025.

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she...