High West Yippee Ki-Yay

High West prominently featured the vermouth in this whiskey. Furthermore, they made the wise choice to use a rye blend emphasizing a bold citrus and rye character, rather than a more herbal profile, to complement the secondary aging. The nose reveals plum jam, hawthorn, nutmeg, ground cinnamon, mulled apple juice, orange peel, a faint hint of red licorice, while the palate offers orchard fruit, medium oak, black pepper, and new leather. Finally, the finish sees the vermouth recede entirely, replaced by assertive rye spice and barrel char, with an excellent warming sensation taking hold. The finish is long-lasting with lingering notes of nutmeg, clove, and a touch of brown raisins. Even after a minute, it continues to impress, with the barrel char being the last element to fade. The closest comparison is its more intense sibling, A Midwinter Night's Dram. I previously described that as 'tasting like Christmas.' While Yippee-Ki-Yay might not evoke Christmas, it certainly feels like it's from the Advent season.

Tried it neat after letting it breathe for over six months. To be upfront, a prior experience with this vermouth coincided with food poisoning, making my body associate the two negatively. This is my first time revisiting it... The aroma is dominated by the vermouth, and thankfully, I tolerated it. It doesn't allow much else of the whiskey to come through. I detect vanilla and toasted almond, with a hint of raisin, but little else. The texture is smooth and rich despite its lower alcohol content. I'm quite enjoying this. The vanilla is very vibrant, and the vermouth complements it well. Toasted almond is present but subtle; the vanilla is the star and reappears in the finish, which also lingers for a good duration. I'm pleased I gave this another go. I waited a considerable time, hesitant to trigger a negative reaction. It's a remarkably solid and intriguing drink. While it lacks depth, the flavors it does present are very pleasant.

This is one of the most unusual whiskies I've encountered. The combination of vermouth and Syrah creates a very peculiar nose, with notes of herbs and menthol. This herbal and menthol spiciness carries through to the palate. It essentially tastes like a Manhattan in a bottle and was somewhat jarring, primarily due to the persistent menthol note. While not my top choice, I can see how others might genuinely enjoy this.

A gift from a friend. I enjoy this, which isn't surprising given my preference for their Double Rye. The influence of the secondary aging is evident. However, at double the price of the Double Rye, the improvement isn't proportional. If I were to spend over $70 on a bottle from this distillery, it would definitely be Rendezvous Rye, which I like best of all their offerings.

Given my fondness for rye, including High West Double Rye, this is quite similar but with an added vermouth finish. I enjoyed all aspects; it was smooth and sweet, yet still offered a full flavor profile. The proof was just right, delivering flavor without being too strong.

Aroma: Honey, cinnamon, nutmeg (reminiscent of a graham cracker), potent spearmint amplifying the ethanol Palate: Cinnamon, plums, blackberries, mint on the back of my tongue Finish: Medium with lingering plums, spearmint, and clove.