WhistlePig Old World Cask Finish Rye 12 Year

Soft, sweet, low fire, gentle, low but there peppery tongue fire, front facing

A great present from my wife, and perfect for a cold Christmas Eve. My first taste of Whistle Pig 12 year, and I'm pleased to say it's quite good. The nose doesn't show much, but it's earthy and sweet on the palate. The rye is evident, but not in anyway overpowering. It's just nice spicy kiss of rye. Smooth and easy drinking, this Rye has a hint of cinnamon and taste of fresh baked goods. The wine cask finish comes though with a slightly dry fruity taste. No bitterness at all on finish. This is definitely a new favorite, just wish it was a little more affordable.

Bought this with the Christmas trio ($20) piglet thing. Excited to try because I haven’t been sure if I’ve wanted to purchase the bottle for $125. Nose: super dark and rich. Very fruity on the nose. Very easy to tell this one is port finished. Lots of red wine in there. Palate: very oily immediately like the 10 year. Not much fruit coming through. Toned down from the 10 year just a hair. Much dryer palate as well, for obvious reasons. I get some bready notes shining through (fresh sourdough). Finish: there’s a little mint like the 10 year finally coming through. Very dry finish thanks to the port. Medium/short length. Overall: honestly, the nose is much better on this one but the 10 year wins the palate between the two. And for roughly $35 cheaper too. Not the biggest fan of this one.

Much cleaner than the 10 year small batch. Rye spice is toned down and there is an absence of that Kentucky hug.