High West Campfire (Discontinued)

smooth with a great taste, thanks for sharing it with me.

I first tried this whiskey around a campfire with great friends. The name defently fits the product. I loved the taste from the beginning to the end. It for sure deserves a higher rating.

33 open bottles in my collection ranked through multiple blind tastings. Counting them down! #23: High West Campfire. 46% ABV. Batch 17J31 Paid $62 Probably will restock at a similar price if only because you can’t pin this whiskey down even after an entire bottle. “Campfire” suggests a straightforward whiskey. This ain’t. I would have named this “Smoking Peyote by the Campfire.” It is a blend of bourbon, rye, and peated Scotch. Islay and Indiana. Made by the sea; and as-far-from-the-sea-as-possible. There are a lot of notes on the nose, but if I had to pick just one: barbeque potato chips. Tastes like schizophrenia, with rye usually leading the charge. I could handle peat and bourbon, but the rye spices takes this dram from contemplative to psychotic. It composes itself in the finish. A little dill and green herbs in, well, Campfire. No way to guess what Scottish distillery is in this blend; the peat is much less than the bourbon and rye components. It’s real up and down: some days I adore this; but recently, it’s failed to captivate me. In the end, it probably beats my infinity bottle. MARK: 86/100 PREVIOUSLY, ON BATMAN: #24: Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill. $59. 47.8%. 12 years. 86/100. #25: Bulleit Barrel Strength Batch 5. $55. 62.7%. NAS. 84/100 #26: Glenkinchie Distiller’s Edition. $46. 43%. 2004/2016. 83/100. #27: Macallan Sherry Oak. $66. 43%. 12 years. 82/100. #28: Eagle Rare. $37. 45%. 10 years. 80/100. #29: Old Pulteney. $40. 43%. 12 years. 80/100.

High West Campfire. NOSE: Smoked meat, dill, savory. Weirdly similar to a Pastrami sandwich with mustard. After a few minutes the bourbon notes start to come to the forefront with a touch of caramelized brown sugar and the deli notes fade. A little ethanol, but not enough to detract from the experience. NEAT: Certain days the Peat announces itself first, other days the rye is a little more assertive. The bourbon seems to always hang out in the back. Several of the notes from the nose are present. The smoked meat and the dill, salt brine, backed by the the bourbon vanilla notes. Weird combinations, but they manage to work. It is just the right amount of hot. The finish coats with smoke and black pepper and fades to a clingy bourbon-y sweetness. A splash brings out some mint and enhances the sweet notes. This is a very interesting whiskey. Chameleon-like. It changed for me pour to pour. I waited about 3/4's of the way through the bottle before reviewing. I just couldn't decide if I really liked it, but the last few pours have really hit a sweet spot for me.