WhistlePig Old World Cask Finish Rye 12 Year

Nose - mint, pine, rye bread, allspice, clove, cinnamon, butterscotch, vanilla, anise, black cherry, date, plum, sultana, honey, orange zest, black and white pepper, black tea, bitter herbal notes, barrel spice, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - peppermint, allspice, clove, cinnamon, cherry, plum, salted caramel, red wine, vanilla, licorice, ginger, black pepper, sultana, tea, orange and lemon zest, tannic oak, honey, rye spice and bitter herbal notes, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with prickly spearmint, strong baking spice, dark fruit, and tannic oak flavors. This is obviously a WhistlePig; the backbone is the same as the 10 year offering, but there’s more happening here on the nose. The baking spices are ramped up and there is a nice assortment of jammy dark fruits in the mix. It’s reminiscent of A Midwinter Nights Dram, but not as well executed. The palate follows along, with the WhistlePig character accentuated by the addition of fruit and a more tannic, oaky finish. Overall, this is good but I don’t think it’s necessarily better than the 10 year. It’s just different and therefore an even worse value at $130 a bottle near me. And you’re only getting 86 proof, instead of the 100 that the 10 year offers. If you want a finished rye, I’d say go for AMND and bank the $30 you saved for the next bottle. That one’s also overpriced, but nowhere near the complete insanity of WhistlePig prices.

Honey and lemongrass on the nose. I get a citrus and honey sweetness on the palate. There's a herbal fruitiness and the gentle warmth of spicy rye. The finish is medium, dry, and leaves the aftertaste of sweet apple. This is currently my favorite sipping rye.