Two of Pittsburgh’s most imaginative craft institutions, Wigle Whiskey and Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC), are joining forces for the first time to launch a truly handcrafted, homegrown gift for the holidays.
The collaboration features a new Wigle whiskey finished with white ash wood called Penn/Fairmount Rye presented in a limited-edition, artist-altered glass bottle, reimagined by PGC artist and Penn/Fairmount designer Jason Forck. Each bottle is a work of art — a celebration of Pittsburgh craft at its finest and most creative: the city’s beloved distillery paired with its enduring glassmaking tradition.
A Shared Heritage of Craftsmanship
Throughout the 1700s and 1800s, Western Pennsylvania was the epicenter of American whiskey and glass production. The abundance of raw materials, proximity to the three rivers, and hardworking immigrant artisans fueled both industries — distillers and glass workers creating side by side. Their stories are deeply intertwined: whiskey needed glass bottles; glassmakers shaped the vessels that carried it to the world.
“Wigle and Pittsburgh Glass Center share a commitment to craft and community,” said Jason Forck, PGC artist and Penn/Fairmount designer. “We both believe in making beautiful things by hand, and this project captures that spirit literally from grain to glass.”
Before Pittsburgh became known as the Steel City, it was celebrated as “America’s Glass City,” home to the nation’s first glass factories and a thriving industry that supplied everything from tableware to tunnel tiles and automobile headlamps. Today, Pittsburgh’s glass legacy lives on through a new generation of artists, makers, and innovators at PGC.
Art of the Bottle
Forck reimagined Wigle’s signature bottle using hot-sculpting techniques to make it appear as though the glass itself “wiggled.”
Each bottle is finished with a gold-stamped “W” in molten glass, a nod to both Wigle and the warmth of the furnace and the whiskey. Matching whiskey glasses and handcrafted glass bottle stoppers will also be available as part of this limited-edition collection.
“This collaboration celebrates everything we love about Pittsburgh including its creativity, its grit, and its craftsmanship,” said Wigle Whiskey Chief Operating Officer Alex Moser. “It’s a toast to the city that gave birth to American whiskey and glassmaking and to the people who keep those traditions alive.”
How to Order
The Wigle Whiskey Penn/Fairmount Rye and select glassware will be available online and in store at Wigle Whiskey starting November 23.
Wigle Whiskey is an award-winning, grain-to-glass distillery producing small-batch spirits with bold, distinctive flavor profiles. Named after Phillip Wigle, a key figure in the Whiskey Rebellion, Wigle is dedicated to reviving Western Pennsylvania’s whiskey heritage with locally sourced, organic grains and expert craftsmanship. Wigle has been named “Most Awarded Craft Distillery” by the American Craft Spirits Association and ranked among USA Today’s Top 10 Craft Distilleries in America.
Penn/Fairmount is a line of useful and beautiful tableware with a sleek, modern sensibility created by hand at Pittsburgh Glass Center. Glass artist Jason Forck and his team have designed distinct silhouettes in a variety of translucent hues. Shop online at www.pennfairmount.com and in store at Pittsburgh Glass Center.
