High West Yippee Ki-Yay

High West was unabashed in showcasing the vermouth on this whiskey. Further still, they made the correct decision and went with a rye blend that would lean on a robust citrus and rye profile, in contrast to more herbal blends, in order to marry well with the secondary casking. The nose has plum jam, hawthorn, nutmeg, ground cinnamon, mulled apple juice, orange peel, faint and red licorice while the palate has orchard fruit, medium oak, black pepper, and new leather. At last in the finish the vermouth relents completely and punchy rye spice and barrel char with an excellent core warming take hold. Finish is sustained with lingering notes of nutmeg, clove, and slight brown raisins. After a minute it still sings with the barrel char being the last note remaining. The most ready comparison is its more muscular brother, A Midwinter Night's Dram. I once described it as "tasting like Christmas." Yippee-Ki-Yay may not taste like Christmas but it's definitely sometime in Advent.

Tasting a bottle no longer in production