malt_muser
High West Rendezvous Rye
Rye — (bottled in) Utah, USA
Reviewed
December 30, 2017 (edited October 21, 2024)
46% abv
non chill-filtered
Blend and mashbill (via their website): A blend of older Straight Rye whiskeys ranging in age from 4 to 7 years.
Straight Rye whiskeys:
95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP
80% rye, 20% malted rye from High West Distillery
Nose: caramel, honey and vanilla greet you, followed by well-rounded rye spiciness along with hints of dill, dark fruit and nutmeg.
Taste: deep and complex, with caramel and vanilla initially but as it develops, you get oakiness, dill, zesty rye spice, light tobacco in the background.
Finish: long and spicy, with the oak char becoming more assertive with a hint of maple and brown sugar.
Value: at $45-65 USD, this one is worth it.
Final thoughts/Score: High West is doing some amazing blends, and this one is no exception. It's a complex, versatile and easy going sipper I recommend to anyone getting into rye, especially if you are a bourbon-first drinker, as the bourbon notes of this blend really shine, coming likely from the older rye. Great neat, can stand up to ice (if that is your thing) and would work well in a cocktail. All this said, when originally released it was blended 16 yo rye from Barton, but has been replaced by their in-house distillate. This earlier blend must have been a real treat, so if you can find an older bottle (earlier that 2017) it's a must buy!
4/5: highly recommend buying a bottle.
Malt Musing: “Happiness is having a rare steak, a bottle of whisky, and a dog to eat the rare steak.” - Johnny Carson
55.0
USD
per
Bottle
Create Account
or
Sign in
to comment on this review
Nice list @PBMichiganWolverine - haven’t tried any of those, although I really enjoyed the Lock Stock & Barrel 13yr. Also a big fan of the High West Double Rye
@SolanaRoots I’d probably say Amrut rye, Crown Royal Noble collection Cornerstone, and Lock Stock & Barrel 16 yr old. Crown Royal Northern Harvest comes to mind too, esp considering the $30 price tag
What other ryes are on your short list?
@On_The_Moors. Yeah---sort of. Comes out every December. It used to be $80, but probably has climbed up now.
@PBMichiganWolverine I’ll certainly keep my eyes open for it. Was it a limited release?
@On_The_Moors see if you can find High West MIdwinter...esp their pre Act 4 bottles. Best High West has engineered in my opinion.
I wish I could give you a better breakdown of the flavor profile, but honestly I killed the bottle a few weeks ago and am only remembering my general enthusiasm about it. Be curious to hear your experience if you ever grab a bottle.
@deuce26 yeah, I wasn't overly thrilled with the Campfire as well. MIdwinter is amazing, if you can get your hands on it
Thanks for the review. I had the Campfire that was just a little above okay in my book. I’m going to have to give this one a try. I like what they have been trying to do.