Whip Saw Rye

Nose: Vanilla and simple syrup - almost like a good cake frosting. Orange blossom. Faint hint of oak. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Slightest black pepper. Lovely stuff. Palate: Vanilla, orange blossom, simple syrup. Cake frosting comes to mind again. Clove, honey, nutmeg. I avoid the word as much as possible, but this stuff is smooth. Tannin, black pepper, white pepper. Oak with the slightest barrel bitter note. The faintest dill/licorice/anise note shows up at the very end. Medium-long finish that hits those vanilla, orange blossom, and simple syrup notes. Other notes: I'm partial to the entire Splinter Group line - Straight Edge, Slaughter House, and Whip Saw (this whiskey). Straight Edge (the bourbon) was the first bottle i ever picked up on a whim specifically because I had no idea what it was and what it would be like and it payed off big time. Also shows that sourced whiskey that's then finished (a la Angel's Envy) can be excellent. It might not be everybody's cup of tea, but I love it.

Rye with a Pinot finish? Sign me up! It has the typical sweetness but the spiciness but its somewhat subdued thanks to the added berry aromas. A great finish to this collection, I like this more than the Whistlepig Old World! 94

Taste: 1.5 oz neat in Glen Cairn and then 2 drops. Nose (3.0): There is a menthol that hits me, almost like a eucalyptas cough drop which is a bit off putting. I get rye, dill, and green fruit. Not my favorite nose. Taste (3.5) : I get a very raw rye taste, a bit of dill, some chocolate, and tart berries. That menthol lessens its grip, but is still there and is my major complaint. Not sure if it is more menthol now or like chewing rye seeds. More maneageable on the palate then when it overwhelmed my nose a bit. My first sip affirms that this is to be experienced more as a rye "experiment" than a conventional rye whiskey. I knew it going in, no doubts now. The mouthfeel is thicker and coating. It is a full, rich spirit. Finish (3.0): Longer and drier. I get a fresh young wood type flavor that isn't particularly bad but it is not delicious either. The wine barrel finishing is definately present here and I think that is what might save the finish from being a disaster. Overall: I was hoping for something like MWND, but got something closer to Catoctin Creek (which I did not enjoy). There is interesting notes in here, and the wine idea is interesting, but to me the rye is too young. My mind is always open to new finishing as although I tend to like traditional well crafted, aged bourbons and ryes I have really enjoyed some of the finished ones (WT Revival, MWND, Rieger'sto name a few). To me this one just isn't good enough executed rye. When it is as high a rye in the mash as this, it has to be aged well. This just isn't that.

Smells very interesting. Like a musty old wine cellar. Taste is botanical. Medicinal. Burnt sugar. Raisin. Wine barrel. This is too far of a departure from traditional rye whiskey for my liking.

Sweet, not as spicy as other ryes, long finish.

It’s time for another deviation from scotch whisky. This sample comes from my NJ connection, Mr @PBMichiganWolverine. Whip Saw Rye is, obviously, a rye whiskey from a blending and bottling company called The Splinter Group. This particular whiskey is comprised of 76% rye, 21% corn and 3% toasted barley. It’s then finished for an unspecified amount of time in Pinot Noir and ex-Cabernet Sauvignon wine casks from Napa Valley and bottled at 45% ABV. It’s a wonderful, dark mahogany in color and makes some of the slowest-forming, fat legs and tiny droplets in the tasting glass. It’s also ridiculously oily and thick appearing. The nose reeks of cherries and wine grapes that have been dusted in Christmas spices- like nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper. There’s a faint bell pepper bite as well. Toffee and charred oak reveal themselves if you wait them out. It’s very lively and tempting. The palate comes out of the gates as a sweet syrup. Cherry juice, grapes and light dill. The spices also warm the tongue while the syrupy-ness coats every corner of the mouth. It’s rich and inviting, but also biting and spicy- it’s the best of both worlds commingling together. The longer you hold it in place the hotter it gets and the spices begin to cut through the syrupy aspect and that’s a welcome sensation. The finish is the most lackluster part of the dram as it came across as short to medium in duration and even the warmth and spices fade rather quickly. All the reason to go in again, I suppose, but I only had a couple of ounces to work with. In the end, this is another example of a fine, balanced rye whiskey. I’m still on the fence when it comes to rye, so I’m not sure if I’d ever finish a full bottle if I bought and opened one. But, if rye is your jam, then I highly recommend this one. I think the availability is widespread and the price point is reasonable. Seek it out and try it for yourself. 3.75-4 stars, which may be a little low just because I’m not a huge rye fan- your mileage may vary. Cheers, my friends.