A little background

High Bank Distillery Co. made a fantastic 88 proofer (the review has already been published, go check it out), but they also have an amazing barrel proof version of Whiskey War! Sitting at 119 proof, this high rye blend was created by their Master Distiller, Adam Hines, who spent 3 hours a night for months experimenting and blending whiskies from different distilleries around the country. Ultimately, he decided that Whiskey War would be a blend of whiskies from 3 different mash bills: 2 being from Indiana and 1 from Tennessee. The mash bill being a high rye (80%) was intentional to give the palate the beautiful, bold, and spicy flavors that a rye does, while the other 20% maintains a non-tannic and non-acrid finish. This is an un-cut and straight from the barrel whiskey. The MSRP is set at $49.99.

(Tasted neat from a Halo Glass)

Color

Dark Yellow Gold

Nose

The nose is beautiful. Notes of dark coffee grounds, mocha, gingerbread, and nutmeg are at the forefront. Dill and rye spice are also present, rounding out the sweeter scents. Black pepper gives it a nice kick upon a heavier nosing. The complexity of the nose is immense, it balances dark and light notes in a way that I have found in few whiskies. It smells like Christmas in your nose.

Palate

Dill, gingerbread, and rye bread lead the palate in a very strong way. The mouthfeel is thick and viscous, coating the entire palate. Cracked white pepper gives it a lovely spice both on the front and back of the palate, leaving sweeter notes for the mid-palate. The second sip reveals some dark rye notes, along with an explosion of spice on the sides of the mid-palate. You can definitely tell that this is a high-rye mash bill.

Finish

The finish is long and filled with beautiful notes of dark rye bread, dill, and pepper. It reminds me of some of the bread I ate in Russia. The flavors stick to every part of the palate and do not leave for a long while. As the finish comes to a close, notes of what your mouth tastes like a few minutes after eating a cherry Jolly Rancher. The intention was to have the palate be spicier like a rye and finish be sweeter like a bourbon, and I think that it was well accomplished.

In conclusion

What the Master Distiller and the rest of the team at High Bank Distillery Co. have accomplished is incredible. At $49.99, the value is absolutely through the roof. The flavor on this is something you can almost only find in bottles well above the price point. I would put this up against many other well-established barrel strength whiskies around the same price range. If you get the chance to make it to Columbus, Ohio, stop and get a bottle. You will not regret it.