Whistlepig 10 Year Small Batch Rye

Second tasting of this and it is still the same. Smells hot and peppery. Dried out my month and prickled my tongue. The vapors are high and all I taste. Afterwards all I taste is grain. Like I took a hand full of grain and started chewing. Needless to say, this is not my favorite.

Smooth flavor. Finishes well.

Sharp on the nose. Strong up front bite that eases to a little bit sweet.

Nose - berry, vanilla, caramel, pine, cinnamon, cardamom, honey, juniper, pine, apple skin, spearmint, anise, green tea, black pepper, clove, orange zest, bitter herbal notes, toasted oak, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - clove, allspice, honey, rye bread, caramel, vanilla, spearmint, ginger, black pepper, licorice, apple, unidentifiable citrus, red berry, cola, herbal tea, bitter oak, honey, pine, cinnamon bark, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium length with bitter oak, rye and baking spice, and spicy mint flavors. I’m a sucker for high-rye ryes and this one is prototypical of the category. The nose is herbal, spicy, and slightly sweet. There are nice berry and apple notes to balance the prickliness, as well as some honey, vanilla, and caramel. It’s far from masterful, but it has what you want in a 100% rye. The palate carries many of the same flavors found on the nose. It’s oaky, minty, and spicy, rounded off with the berry, caramel, and honey sweetness to add some depth. Again, it’s not amazing but covers the fundamentals well. Overall, this is a nice rye. I think I prefer the New Riff rye profile a bit more, but this is a solid sipper and a delicious mixer. So why don’t I permanently stock it in my bar? It’s $90 near me. That’s why. $90 is absolutely absurd for a 10 year old rye, and completely prices it out of consideration. New Riff is half the price and fulfills the same requirements for me, so that’s what I stock. This is one to try as a sample, but not to keep as a bottle unless you just really love the profile.