This Limited Run Whiskey Evokes the Burning of the Gaspee

The newest spirit from Pawtucket's White Dog Distilling was created in partnership with the Rhode Island Historical Society to commemorate the country's 250th anniversary.

May 14, 2026

Lauren Clem,

A woman and man hold up a whiskey bottle in front of a display of aging oak barrels.

Alecia and Carlo Catucci, co-founders of White Dog Distilling in Pawtucket, created Sabin’s Spirit whiskey for the Rhode Island Historical Society to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. (Photos by Lauren Clem)

On the evening of June 9, 1772, a group of men gathered at Sabin’s Tavern on the corner of South Main and Planet streets in Providence. The group armed themselves and set off in longboats down the Providence River, where the HMS Gaspee sat beached on a sandbar off Namquid Point. The men boarded the customs enforcement schooner, shot its commanding officer and set it on fire, inciting the wrath of Colonial officials.

Their actions would go down in Rhode Island history as one of the first acts of violent rebellion of the American Revolution. For decades, Rhode Islanders have commemorated their part in the rebellion with festivals, road races and an annual reenactment off what’s known today as Gaspee Point. Now, they can raise a glass with a drink prepared in the spirit of that night.

Earlier this month, White Dog Distilling of Pawtucket opened pre-sales for Sabin’s Spirit, a whiskey distilled in honor of the 250^th anniversary of America’s founding. The whiskey was created for the Rhode Island Historical Society and will be unveiled at the RIHS Golden Ball commemorating the anniversary in June. (In disclosure, this writer volunteers with the RIHS and serves on a planning committee for the event.)

The whiskey is described by White Dog as “featuring notes of honey and caramel, its finish, perhaps like its inspiration … smoky but with a lingering sweetness.” The recipe is comprised of 85 percent corn and 15 percent malt, making it similar, co-owner Carlo Catucci notes, to something that might have been enjoyed in Colonial New England. It’s almost identical to the distillery’s popular puppy bourbon, with one important difference: Whereas bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak containers, Sabin’s Spirit is aged in the same barrels previously used for puppy bourbon, lending an extra element.

“The charred resin is what gives it the vanilla, the caramel flavors and the color,” Carlo says.

The whiskey has been in the works since 2025, when the RIHS approached White Dog about creating a signature spirit for the 250^th. The two groups had previously worked together on the RIHS Drink in the History series that pairs history talks with local beverages. When they agreed on a whiskey, Carlo and co-owner Alecia Catucci knew they’d have to work quickly to get the whiskey in barrels in time for the anniversary.

“It’s a lot of planning that had to take place because we wanted to have the whiskey distilled and in the barrel in time to have it aged one year,” Carlo says.

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Adding to the urgency, the distillery ran into equipment problems when they were creating the whiskey last year. With last summer’s record high temperatures, they also worried the spirit would be impacted as it aged. White Dog is located in the historic Lorraine Mills complex in Pawtucket, a building whose sawtooth roof design provides plenty of natural light but has the side effect of heating up the interior on hot summer days.

“There’s a threshold for when we can do it because if it gets too hot, we can’t ferment anymore. It kills the yeast,” Carlo explains.

Despite the setbacks, both White Dog and the RIHS were pleased with the result when they sampled the near-finished spirit. The bottle’s label is decorated with flames that invoke the burning of the Gaspee, while its name — chosen by RIHS Executive Director C. Morgan Grefe — signifies the tavern where the conspirators met.

“It’s related to Rhode Island history, and then also to the spirit of what taverns represented at that time in terms of a space to be able to come to exchange ideas and meet and gather and learn the news of the day,” says RIHS Senior Director for Advancement and Public Engagement Sarah Carr.

The four-barrel limited run is expected to produce about 250 bottles of whiskey — an appropriate number for the anniversary year. The spirit will be served at the RIHS Golden Ball gala on June 27 and is also available for pre-order for pickup at the distillery in June.

According to Alecia, the partnership is part of an effort to produce whiskeys that will appeal to those interested in limited run products. In addition to whiskey and bourbon, the distillery makes gin, rum, limoncello and flavored moonshines. All of its products are available to order on its website or for tasting at the Pawtucket tasting room.

“As small as we are, we are trying to introduce more products to serious whiskey collectors,” Alecia says.

As a small distillery, White Dog’s process is also a throwback to old-school distilling techniques, with most steps — including dipping each bottle of Sabin’s Spirit in a red wax seal — accomplished by hand. Alecia says the couple enjoyed being a part of a whiskey that celebrates the 250^th anniversary.

“We want to be around for the next one,” she says.