High West Campfire (Discontinued)

Well name- Smokey from nose to finish. Dry. A little hot.

This is the whisky that turned me onto whisky. I like it because I swear I can taste some peated malt which balances out all the American grains. And the smoke isn’t overpowering. The finish is a little bitter which is fine by me.

I got a double at a really fancy bar in San Antonio. Tasted great!

Solid bourbon with a mellow nose containing a slight smoke, reminiscent of ultra-weak peat. Almost a chili/nacho flavor on the palate. It tastes young but not detrimental. Finishes rather quickly but, again, a slight peat, smoky flavor lingers. I think it’s worth the effort to try a pour before buying a bottle. I can’t recall the price I bought my bottle at, but likely $35-50. If you want a great entry level for a friend or relative starting their whisk(e)y journey, check out their prairie bourbon. I’ve seen it as low as $20. Interesting to follow as they transition to bottling their own juice, especially with their rye, bourye, and midwinter.

The High West Campfire gets me. It’s just so unique and interesting. The nose is stone fruits, some honey, dried flowers, and rye notes with the peat and smoke swirling through it all. The palette starts out like scotch with pest and dry smoke but suddenly turns a corner to rye with some grass and cinnamon and pepper. There is an instant of sweetness in there before a dry finish of dried fruit and - well - campfire smoke.