Northern Illinois University Athletics and DeKalb’s Whiskey Acres Distilling Company are celebrating the 125th Anniversary of NIU Athletics and the Huskie football team’s historic victory over Notre Dame with the release of the “Boneyard Blend” NIU Athletics/Whiskey Acres co-branded bourbon.

The public is invited to attend the release event at the Whiskey Acres Visitor Center (11504 Keslinger Road, DeKalb) on Friday, November 15 from 4:30-7:30 pm. NIU head coaches and administrators, including football head coach Thomas Hammock, basketball coaches Lisa Carlsen and Rashon Burno and Vice President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier will be on hand to mingle with fans and autograph bottles of the ultra-small batch release.

“We are excited to continue to partner with Whiskey Acres on this newest edition of NIU Huskies bourbon, Boneyard Blend,” Frazier said. “It is a reflection of the commitment we have to communiversity collaboration and meeting those goals and objectives to move NIU athletics forward.”

The commemorative bottle celebrates 125 years of NIU Intercollegiate Athletics with the 125th Anniversary logo in gold, along with the words “Boneyard Blend, No Luck Needed” and 16-14, the score of the Huskies’ September 7 “Boneyard Win” at Notre Dame on the front of the bottle. Each bottle also showcases the NIU Cardinal and Black colors on the front and the Huskie logo on the back. The bourbon is a curation of four, five and six-year-old barrels hand-selected by Whiskey Acres Master Distiller Robert Wallace III.

Aromas of cornbread fill the glass along with hints of orange peel, toffee and vanilla. The palate is thick and creamy. Vanilla, toffee and orange peel continue and pair with dark cherries, cooked blackberries and light cinnamon that continue through the medium-length finish.  The Boneyard Blend makes a great gift for the Huskie and bourbon fan in advance of the upcoming holidays.

All bottles of the Boneyard Blend NIU Huskies/Whiskey Acres bourbon sold at the Whiskey Acres Visitor Center will retail for $57.99 with $10 from each bottle donated to NIU Athletics.  Bottles can also be pre-ordered for local pick up by sending an email to NIU Senior Associate Athletic Director Ryan Sedevie at rsedevie@niu.edu.

While NIU Athletics receives the greatest benefit from bottles sold at Whiskey Acres Distilling Company, remaining bottles will be available to purchase online and shipped through an approved online retailer in the future with additional charges for shipping and handling. Details and further information on the online ordering option will be available at a later date.