WhistlePig 10 Year Single Barrel Rye

Nose - spearmint, pine, oak, caramel, vanilla, bitter herbal notes, cardamom, berry, honey, rye bread, clove, cinnamon, anise, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - berry, pine, cardamom, caramel, spearmint, vanilla, green tea, barrel spice, clove, allspice, cinnamon, apple skin, herbal and floral notes, tannic oak, ginger, chili and black pepper, apple skin, high alcohol bite, finishing medium length with tannic oak, caramel, and baking spice flavors. For reference, this is a Total Wine store pick at 119.3 proof. Compared to the standard 10 year, the nose is much more concentrated and closed off. It takes a while of breathing to open up, but never quite becomes as fragrant as the 100 proof offering. On the other hand, the palate is richer than on the standard expression, with many of the same flavors but cranked up a notch in depth and heat. I bought this one, as Total Wine was running a special that made this essentially the same price as the normal 10 year. It’s still way too expensive for what it is, but the extra proof provides a bit more value. Still, I won’t buy another, or any other WhistlePig product for the matter, until and unless the prices align more closely with reality. It’s a solid, tasty rye but there are better options for the money.

Barrel pick by Bull City Bourbon Club, dubbed "Pulled Pork" Barrel No. 95669, Warehouse 1, Floor 1, Rick E Age 16 years 52.25% abv, 104.5 proof Open 3 weeks Nose - Sharp cinnamon and maple syrup, cereal grain, floral rye baking spice with hints of pine and fir, brown sugar, medium ethanol. Palate - Light and sweet up front, vanilla, brown sugar, maple candy, hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, hint of citrus rind, light ethanol. Finish is medium with a grainy sweetness that resembles a spiced maple candy dissolving on your tongue. Some mint and pine on the back end, surprisingly low spice and ethanol on the finish. I have never had WhistlePig due to their exorbitant prices, but my friend gave me 150 mL of this local BCBC pick in a trade. A 16 year old single barrel pick sold at the price of the 10 year? I had to try it. This is good stuff, but I think I got lucky with the age on this barrel pick. No way would I pay close to $100 for a sourced 10Y rye when there are plenty of excellent ryes for almost half that price. If you do see a really old barrel pick at a lower price, it might be worth picking up if Alberta rye is your thing.

N: sweet with hints of fruit, no strong alcohol smell. P: candied cherry, sweet, peppery in the middle, cinnamon on the end. F: warm and spicy on the lips and gums not overly strong for the proof. Very nice pour, great color and consistency a little oily and soft. Very balanced

Solid rye, a bit of spice, hints of vanilla but not as strong as some others, a sweet finish with orange zest

Fruity rye; high on my rye list

Ok but I don’t think it is my thing

Poor initial flavor, tasty rye finish