On February 24, the Slumberland American Birkebeiner will take place in Wisconsin. The Birkie is the largest cross-country skiing race in North America, with participants starting in Cable and skiing their way through the forest on the Birkie Trail, gliding across Lake Hayward, crossing over the American Birkebeiner International Bridge and heading toward the finish line on Hayward’s snow-covered Main Street. This year, the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) partnered with Tattersall Distilling to commemorate the race’s 50th anniversary to release a limited-edition spirit.

WI-SKI is a straight rye aged in used maple syrup barrels. Made in the spirit of the Birkie and traditional Nordic skiing, it’s a peppery sipper with a hint of sweetness that tastes even better after a day on the trails. I don’t ski, but I still had the pleasure to try mixing this in a cocktail and the result was a drink that I think is absolutely perfect for winter.