High West Double Rye Barrel Select

From a 2022 town pick in Angier, NC. Barrel No. 20107. Aged 1 year in ex-Malbec barrels. 49.6% abv; 99.2 proof. Opened 2.5 years ago. Nose - Bright red fruits, red hot cinnamon, anise, dill, white pepper, bitter oak, orange peel, lemon oil, vanilla, and moderate ethanol. Palate - Subdued, mellow mixed berries, cracked peppercorns, licorice, dill, lemon custard, and candied oranges. The finish is medium with dry, bitter oak, musty wine, anise, and light ethanol. This has a great nose but disappoints on the palate. It smells like cask strength but drinks like 90 proof. I don't get the connection to High West. I've tried 4 or 5 of their products and haven't really enjoyed any. People raved about these Double Rye! Barrel Selects finished in various barrels. I don't understand it, except for the cost. It's just another marketing ploy to mask young rye in a wine barrel.

A Limited Release, barrel # 18452, finished in a Peated Scotch barrel. 100.4 proof. If you've tried High West Campfire, this is like a lighter version. It's a combination of the sweet notes found in double rye and the smoky, peaty character of a standard Islay scotch. The nose presents light sweet rye notes with hints of mint; no peat is detectable. The peat emerges on the palate and finish. The taste is a light, sweet rye with a hint of vanilla, followed by a peaty smokiness similar to campfire smoke. The smoke lingers long after the taste and is somewhat drying. It's not bad if you're in the right mood, perhaps on an autumn evening.

Outstanding - truly quite remarkable. I will certainly look for more port barrel finished Double Rye!'s. It strongly reminds me of a single pour I had of A Midwinter Nights Dram. Barrel #: 21972 For: OHLQ Exclusive #4 Finished for: 1 year, 1 month Barrel Type: Ruby Port Barrel 100.8 proof Tasting Notes (from OHLQ): Dried berries, sugar plum, rich and velvety texture.

Picked up a bottle in 2019 from a Total Wine in Massachusetts. I've always loved the standard double rye; it introduced me to the rye category and remains one of the best value choices. This offering has a less prominent aroma but significantly more flavor on the palate compared to the original.

The aroma of this whiskey differs from its standard counterpart. It presents with heavy oak, toffee, and butterscotch. The initial taste is silky smooth with butterscotch. It's phenomenal and much sweeter than I expected. While I prefer its sister expression, this is excellent. Barrel 28888 Bottle 159 ABV: 49.4%

Barrel Pick for the Show Me State - Barrel 20108 Finished for 1 Year in a Malbec barrel We've all had a finished rye, and we've all enjoyed one. This, as the kids say, is fantastic. That's all. That's my review.