High West Bourye (2015 Release)

A very smart blend from High West, resembling an American take on blended scotch. To continue the comparison, imagine the aged rye as the single malt, offering complex spicy notes on the finish. The younger bourbon serves as the sweet, grainy whiskey foundation, providing a smooth palate. The nose has some pleasant wood notes. Truly a clever "blended bourbon" from the High West team.

This High West bottling, like its siblings, functions harmoniously. The bourbon and rye notes are apparent on the nose and palate, but they remain in balance. Sweet corn appears upfront, leading to a peak of peppery rye. Those who enjoy both elements will likely find this an excellent integration. However, as a bourbon skeptic, I rate this lower than the High West ryes.

Batch 16A08 (likely the 2016 bottling). Initially, there's an alcoholic sharpness on the nose. The rye seems more dominant at this point. Floral notes appear, along with some apple and vanilla, reminiscent of baked apple pie. The apple pie notes carry through to the palate. It's smooth with caramel, cinnamon, apples, and vanilla ice cream. A pleasant spice and bitterness linger, with a surprising amount of warmth as it goes down. There's a hint of bubblegum in the aftertaste. Delicious. Reviewed 7/8/17.

This has been unavailable in Salt Lake for a couple of years but recently returned at a price of $80 per bottle! I enjoyed Son of Bourye well enough and was keen to try this. I must say, it ranks among my favorites, comparable to Rendezvous Rye from High West. I'm not a big scotch drinker, but this offers a perfect fusion of scotch and rye flavors. I'm quite surprised. However, I won't be buying it again due to the cost.

Nose - Sweet vanilla, butterscotch, sweet corn, simple syrup made from brown sugar, a faint hint of sweet mint. Taste - Spiced dark chocolate, dark caramel, cinnamon spice, cracked black pepper, a sweet herbal mint, very subtle dill, and a very buttery mouthfeel. Finish - Lingering warmth of cinnamon spice, turning slightly bitter, like stripping the bark from a young tree branch. Rated 82/100.

My current favorite suggested by our local whiskey purveyor. I'm glad I took their suggestion! The nose is sweet yet oakey but in my opinion does not do justice to the taste. Vanilla, caramel with some well balanced astringent and wood. LOVELY stuff. Sweeter than I would have guessed but that is by no means a bad thing. I have added this to my top shelf. Smooth, woody medium-long finish. Great find!