Whistlepig Piggyback Single Barrel Rye Whiskey

The Austin Shaker #DKCK 112.8 proof 56.4% ABV

The Austin Shaker pick 112.4 proof 56.2% ABV

This one is a bit strange for a 100% rye. For example, Alberta Premium Cask Strength is a 100% rye, and though there's a bit of caramel and mint mixed in, what's prominent with APCS is the spice, the rye, the cinnamon, little bit of nutmeg. The Whistlepig Piggyback Single Barrel has a little bit of spice, but what predominates here is are aromas of cherry and cola, reminiscent in some ways of Sazerac, which is decidedly not a 100% rye (the mashbill is undisclosed, but naturally if it were 100% rye, there wouldn't be any mashbill to not disclose). Rye spice takes over the nose as it sits in the glass with a little ethanol, but if you're used to Barrel Strength whiskies, it's not overwhelming (I've noticed that people who don't do high proof always find things I believe are perfectly palatable to be extremely hot). On the palate, it's not amazingly complex, but it's creamy and there's vanilla and caramel and spice with the cherry returning during the long finish. Overall, not necessarily a rebuy, but at $60, I can't regret it either. In the future I'd rather splurge the extra $10 to get a Knob Creek Single Barrel Rye or even pay the same price and get Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye. But it also wasn't a bottle I was about to turn my nose up at either. I waited until the last pour to review it hoping it would reveal itself a bit more to me, but it was essentially a one-trick pony all the way through. Still, sometimes one trick pony's can be tasty enough to enjoy on their own. This was one. But that also means, it's a one-buy whisky and I have no problems with that. P. S. I realize upon further reflection that when I say cherry here, it sometimes tastes like cherry cola and at other times Robitussin cherry. Kind of goes back and forth. For what it's worth, the Robitussin might sound bad, but it's kicks in a certain nostalgia of my mom taking care of me when I was a child and had a cold.

Smooth and spicy. This is a keeper

Barrel number: 6620 Selected by/barrel name: Liquor Barn 2022 barrel 3 I really don't like supporting Whistlepig, but there's just too much on the surface here to think it may not be a hidden gem, provided the barrel was a good pick. The one thing I can't get over is the total lack of responsibility with where this stuff actually comes from. Historically most products are sourced from Canada, but you'll only know that if you read the tiny print on the back label, and now this bottle was distilled "somewhere" in Vermont, but bottled in Mineville, NY. It's all about the Whistlepig farm with this brand, but it's hard to tell exactly what it is that's actually made or distilled there, and really inserts a distrust from the customer with all the runaround. Having said that, Whistlepig (and where they source from) ABSOLUTELY knows rye whiskey, and I'd be pressed to name even a half dozen other 100% rye whiskies, especially ones that are easily accessible or even American made. I'm not sure if the very specific 107.8 proof was a result of this particular barrel, since that section of the label doesn't look like it is removable or handwritten, unlike the very separate label showcasing the barrel number and name. Still, this whiskey has a great mash bill, great proof, and at 6 years aged (how refreshing to see an ACTUAL age statement, too), it's right on the cusp of where rye starts to get too sweet and mellowed (perhaps a little past that point, even). Batched Piggyback rye is a staple rye for drinking neat or mixing, and if I appreciated the distillery more, I would always have a bottle around. Quite a bit darker for the age; the light orange-brown suggests more than 6 years aged, or smaller barrels used. Only some of the cinnamon from the grain is smelled from a distance, but the inside of the glass is full of maple, dry, candied citrus, and some natural oak sugars. Without other grains to crowd the nose, the cinnamon from the rye is less aggressive and more natural, and pairs nicely with the proof, although the ethanol is much lighter than expected at this number. The body is very light, shockingly so, at first, with only a slight build to what feels like 90 proof altogether. An earthiness flavor arises quickly, like mushroom and wet cave air, before any of the classic rye flavors are tasted. Cinnamon, cracked wheat (somehow), and a slight sour note follow this up. The natural spice enters the gums and creates a medium hotness in the mouth, but it fades rather quickly, even with repeated sips. The finish brings back more of the wet earthiness, which lingers a medium amount of time with only a slight dryness. The original Piggyback rye is such a good balance all over after the batching is finished, whereas the single barrel is able to capture the nuances that are usually blended out. In this case, the rye gives off a wet earthiness most of the time, which I've tasted before, mostly in high rye mash bills or after a longer aging. This is by far my least enjoyed flavor component for a rye whiskey, and although I believe it's a factor of this barrel and not others, it doesn't make me hate the single barrel program or concept. As with most other distilleries and their single barrels, this only strengthens the connection I have with the concept, and makes me want to try different barrels (and other store's picks, to be safe) to discover more corners of the full spectrum of options.