My final entry in the original WhistlePig core range. The 10 and 12 are solid. I’ve heard it said that WhistlePig is overrated—I disagree. It’s just common and popular, but that’s no knock on the distillery itself. Let’s see if we can get 3/3 with them. Bottle No. 193293. Nose: Heaps of brown sugar and maple sweetness. Maple pecan. Toasted almond. Vanilla frosting. Dried apricot. Pistachio. Orange peel. Sawdust. Black pepper. Spicy oak. White pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, and brown sugar. Almond and walnut. Toffee. Gala apple. Maple pecan. Orange peel. Cocoa. Black pepper. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Heavy, heavy oak. Finish: Vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Almond and walnut. Gala apple and dried apricot. Clove and nutmeg. Cinnamon. Moderate-long finish. Solid whiskey for sure. Sweet and confectionary—it’s a nice profile. It’s reminiscent of a bourbon in some ways. The nose was the highlight, but it’s really strong in every facet. Now. Is it $250 strong? No, quite frankly. I can respect a 15 year age statement from a North American distillery, and I do grade on a curve. But it still falls a little short of hitting its mark with regard to value. I’m going with a 4.25 knocked down to 4/5 with consideration to VFM.