High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 11 (All Scenes)

I feel fortunate regarding certain acquisitions. A few months ago, I found a bottle of the previous batch (Act 10) of this High West. I never imagined I'd find another bottle of the current batch (Act 11) in the same year. So, it's no surprise I immediately opened it to check for differences. The nose was a bit light, possibly with an essence of rye, ethanol, and some fruit. The flavor is where I noticed more distinction. Instead of cinnamon and fruit, I detected more of an herbal and earthy combination alongside the rye spice kick. Hints of baking spices were also present, more towards the finish, which was less sweet and a bit drier. A very solid batch, but I feel Act 10 was slightly better than Act 11. That being said, I will thoroughly enjoy every pour of this until it's gone.

A concentrated aroma bomb, balancing sweetness and spice. It delivered exactly what was expected. On the palate, flavors explode with a wave of sweet port, vibrant rye, and a warming, almost dessert-like pleasantness. The high rye intensity remains, now harmoniously blended with the profound character of the ex-Porto barrels. A smooth, balanced, and only subtly woody texture leads to a remarkable finish that lingers for several minutes. Truly outstanding, representing the pinnacle of distilling and innovative aging. An enduring classic for valid reasons.

I concur with the professional reviewer that the aroma is subtle and the fruit is present but faint on the palate. However, after letting it rest for fifteen minutes, the aroma develops into brown sugar and rye spice, with red fruit notes becoming prominent on the palate. The lingering finish earns this high marks. An excellent finish and absolutely no heat make this effortless to savor. Compared to an excellent brandy-finished double rye, this has less heat and a better finish. It's great to see this one perform so well. It's also nice to see this one stand out against a double rye finished in brandy, which was excellent but had more heat and less of a finish than this.

This dram goes down smoothly, evoking images of a bonfire alongside a festive spice cake. Its flavors are well-integrated, making it feel lighter than its stated alcohol content. No single taste dominates, which might explain differing opinions. I personally enjoy flavors that evolve over time with continued tasting. Each sip reveals more holiday spice, ensuring this dram remains engaging and complex for me.

Deep in color, with fruit and spice notes. Smell: Dried grapes, sweet nectar, rich cherry liqueur, plums, dates, woodsmoke, coffee candy, bitter chocolate, tart cherries, red raspberries, dark blueberries, cinnamon spice, mace, allspice, eggy toast. Taste: Caramelized apples, dried grapes, bright raspberries, tart cherries, star anise, licorice root, sharp citrus peels, tart citrus. Aftertaste: Creamy vanilla, rich cherry liqueur, dark blackberries, dark blueberries, tropical pineapple, tart passion fruit, bitter chocolate, citrus, rich honey.

This is the first bottle I've had where it's primarily sourced from this distillery's own rye, and I'm not impressed. Whether it's the malted rye or simply that the whiskey is too young, I detected craft characteristics and cereal grains over rye spice. Extremely disheartening, and this will be my final purchase of this particular bottling. We still had a small amount of an older bottling left for comparison, and the distinction was vast. The earlier versions are clearly superior.