High West Bourye (2017 Release)

Part of a flight: Angel’s Envy Bourbon Port Finish (Batch 59I) at 43.3% ABV High West Bourye (Batch 17L21) at 46% ABV Prichard’s Double Barreled at 45% ABV The winner. This stuff just gets better with time and water. The foundation is a very well-aged 10 year old bourbon. You get that leathery tobacco, cinnamon powder, and red fruits. The ryes are even more aged – a blend 12-14 years old. That takes the young rye edge, which I don’t like, away. It adds some mint and greenness to the bourbon, and never steals the spotlight. I also get some wine notes, which emerges in the absence of wine finishing, as far as I can tell. This is very similar to High West’s bespoke Midwinter. With water, this opens up to reveal white pepper and dark chocolate in a dynamic, lovely finish that lingers for quite a while. In Maryland, this tends to be cheaper than in other parts of the country. I found this on sale for $72, and it’s a steal at that price. MARK: 93/100