Whistle Pig Old World Cask Finish
Intro:
Rye inspired by Old World barrel-aging traditions.
This 86-proof 12 year-old Rye Whiskey is a marriage of whiskeys aged in New American Oak and ingeniously finished in Port (7%,) French Sauternes (30%,) and Madeira casks (63%). We’ve taken the elements that are most quintessential in an American rye – boldness and character – and fused them with the elegance and grace of an 18 year old Scotch.
Review:
Until this purchase, I only had one Whistle Pig product in my collection (10 year straight rye) and I admittedly like it a lot. I simply hadn’t purchased more because most of their products cross the $100 mark and I had, up to this point, focused my excessive spending strictly on bourbons. When Droopy scored the Sazerac 18 rye, my mind was instantly changed. I got this 12 year multi-cask finish variety at the Exchange for $85, which is a steal compared to the $120-$135 out in town.
Nose - Poured into a Lux Row Glencairn glass, the nose is a deep centerfield homerun! There is a small amount of fume but the pleasant fruity aroma easily overtakes any astringency. A delicious citrus fruit smell jumps out at me, followed by some light cinnamon and caramel notes. I can’t really pick up much oak or grain, but that doesn’t lessen my opinion in the slightest.
ALRIGHT, my dog just busted ass and not only did it overpower my ability to smell anything else, but it halted the tasting because I had to evacuate the room.
Alright, back from nearly losing my dinner…that was pretty awful. Here goes with the taste.
Taste - Mmmm….a very smooth and subtle buildup on the palate. The spice is simply an easy warming of the lips tongue and roof of the mouth. It is a holiday spice flavor that surrounds a honey rye merger. The finish is terrific also…lingers for quite a while and the flavor is nearly as prevalent as the sip itself. 2nd sip…held in the mouth….man, I wish this were the flavor of my toothpaste. It is fantastic!
Is it worth the $?
I’ll just say this, why limit myself to bourbon when some of these ryes are dominating? This is a great addition to the collection and I would pay $85 to have one on the shelf. Whistle Pig is 2 for 2 for great products that I have tasted. I definitely will reconsider withstanding the $100 price tag when I see a WP brand I don’t have.