WhistlePig The Boss Hog IV: The Black Prince

I’m not as gaga for this whiskey as I once was, when I tried a pour for $55 an ounce and instantly knew I had to buy a bottle without any regards to how much it would cost. Go figure that the first “rye” that I loved and the first bottle of rye that I bought was $480. My palate has changed since then; I recently had somewhat of a religious experience with a Kentucky Owl Rye Batch 3, and I’m finding that I’m starting to get a taste for actual rye, which the Boss Hog really isn’t. This is a category 5 hurricane of delicious flavors. The fruitiness hits you first with juicy white grapes, red delicious apples, raspberries, and plums. This is followed by waves of herbs and spices in an earthy, savory clay pot stock. The dill and coriander nip, however, is barely there. Even when I have this side-by-side with other finished ryes, like Midwinter Night’s Dram, this just doesn’t satisfy if what I’m looking for is rye flavor. But if I’m merely in the mood for something unlike anything made before it and completely bonkers with concentrated and complementary delicious flavors, The Black Prince still does not disappoint. The price for this whiskey is actually commendable. WhistlePig is brave for inciting the wrath of the average painfully frugal American bourbon/rye drinker, who questions anything over $50. This whiskey is age stated and at cask strength, so there’s no funny business. You get the sense that the armagnac casks were expensive and integral to creating a unique final product. I don’t know if those casks were in reality so expensive, but what’s important is that this whiskey is correctly priced for the market, right off the bat; and there is very little secondary market money to be made for flippers with this series of whiskey. I would much rather pay $500 to a store owner than to a dude I arranged to meet in a library parking lot, who paid $100 for the bottle just to re-sell it (maybe after doing questionable things with it). Score: ** (unimaginably good) How much does a bottle cost?: $400-600 How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $400

As good as it gets. Never tasted anything with such strong identifiable flavors. Long finish with no burn whatsoever...greatness with every sip! Price is killer...but you won’t regret trying it.

Wildly smooth for a rye and a ton of flavor

Nose- Big, bold rye spice; Kit-Kat candy bar; coconuts; fresh baked bread; bananas; wood spice; hint of maple syrup Palate- Initial wave of aged, funky oak; baking spices; cinnamon; rich vanilla; cherries; polished saddle leather; herbaceous/earthy notes near the end Finish- Long, spicy yet mouth coating finish; Baking spices; dark fruits (plums, red grapes); earthy with a hint of barrel char Great stuff. Nose is the highlight of this rye. Big, bold rye spices, but delicate at the same time, with an unmistakable note of Kit-Kats and tropical fruits. The palate is a tidal wave of flavors. Funky, aged oak, vanilla, baking spices, the list goes on and on. Very enjoyable. The finish is long as well, with just the right amount of a drying factor, while still coating the mouth in rye goodness. This is an expensive bottle, there’s no way around it, but with the juice inside, bottle design, and if money isn’t a big issue, I recommend you grab one.