A little background
WhistlePig began with the purchase of a farm in 2007. After a few years, and some help from Master Distiller Dave Pickerell, WhistlePig vowed to craft the world’s finest and most interesting Rye Whiskies. Keeping with this tradition, WhistlePig recently released an 18-year-old, double malt, rye whiskey. The mash bill consists of 79% rye, 15% malted rye, and 6% malted barley. WhistlePig Double Malt Rye is bottled at 92 proof and MSRP is set at $399 dollars.
(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)
Color
Golden Honey
Nose
The nose is sweet and spicy. Red apples and cinnamon are accompanied by vanilla, oak, and faint hints of iced gingerbread cookies and bubblegum are also present. After some time in the glass, notes of French vanilla, butterscotch, and toasted caramel begin to appear.
Palate
The first sip has a medium viscosity and settles with a warmth in the chest. Rye spices, vanilla, and oak are most prominent. The second sip coats the mouth. Clove, allspice, cinnamon, and peppered oak are present. The third sip is oily and is an intensified combination of the tasting notes listed above.
Finish
The finish is long with a candy sweetness. Baking spices, clove, and cinnamon are most prominent.
In closing
The 18-year-old WhistlePig Double Malt Rye has an enticing nose and oily mouth feel. Notes of cinnamon and allspice are evident throughout the tasting process. This spirit has the warmth, flavor, and sweetness you would expect from an 18-year-old rye whiskey. The bottle is packaged in a handsome box and there is a beautiful, hand blown glass stopper included that amplifies the overall aesthetic.
Official Site
92 Proof
The Good
- Nose
- Palate
- Age
- Hand blown glass stopper
The Bad
- Affordability
- Availability
- Canadian Sourced
you guys rate a whiskey that is blended higher than a single barrel. High west double rye is a mix of 4 and 6 year whiskey. it is rated higher than whistle pigs 18 year. wtf is wrong with you?
Thanks for the input, Joe. Double Rye scored better due to the fact that Whistle Pig 18 suffered on the value aspect of our rating system. Ironically, Double Rye is one we need to actually re-review, as it’s now being released with High West’s own distillate. From what we hear it’s not as good as it once was. Thanks for the comment! – Matt
If they started in 2007, how do they have an 18 year old product?
They sourced the whiskey from another distillery.