WhistlePig 6 Year PiggyBack Rye

The third and final Rye whiskey I'm mustering the courage to taste is Whistlepig's 6 year Piggyback Rye. As previously stated in other reviews of Rye whiskies or whiskies with a dominant rye profile, I am absolutely not a fan of rye. However, as I've been experimenting with Manhattan and Old Fashioned cocktails, they are best enjoyed with a robust Rye. And naturally, with my perpetual curiosity: I have decided to try the 3 I've purchased, neat. The aroma on this 6 year Rye is notably spicier than their 6 year Piggyback bourbon. Obviously... I know. This aroma is much more akin to what I anticipated from the Rye-heavy bourbon of the same name. Astringent rye emerges with spicy peppercorn, cinnamon, and dry leather. There's a hint of scorched grass in there... perhaps that's the rye I'm detecting. Surprisingly, the taste does start quite sweet and the palate is actually less tannic and spicy than the aroma suggested. It is definitely present, though. Rye spice and peppercorn form the underlying flavor but also create a slight tongue tingle that brown sugar and vanilla emerge with. There might be some vanilla present and at first, you might be mistaken into thinking the cinnamon from the aroma is missing. But as the taste progresses, that familiar sweet spiciness of cinnamon appears strongly, along with some tannic oak and hay. The finish is entirely spicy. The cinnamon and oak that arrived late in the taste remain, and some of that dry leather found in the aroma reappears during the finish. I don't... dislike it. I do favor the bourbon more due to its inherent sweetness, but I thought I was going to absolutely detest this, and I don't. It possesses enough spice to hold its own in a good Manhattan or Old Fashioned but is sweet enough to drink neat. That said, I remain a bourbon enthusiast at heart, but I am assigning this a solid 3.25, which is better than average, rating.

Review #020 Type: rye Proof: 48.28% Comments: aged 6 years, American oak barrel maturation Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Tannish color. Swirling shows a thin line sticking to the glass, legs form slowly. Nose: 15/20 Very sweet aroma, caramel apples, cinnamon, orange juice, and vanilla. Palate: 26/40 Rye spice, brown sugar, and mild honey. Finish: 28/40 Moderate alcohol burn, the spice fades to black pepper, almonds, and acceptable wood. With Water: Did not try with water unfortunately. Total: 69/100 Final thoughts: A pleasant sipper on a cold day, this would be excellent in a cocktail and I would drink it if offered, but it's not something I'll likely seek out. Price: tasted from a friend’s bottle Would recommend: no Would buy: no Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Grassy, with some spearmint & hints of vanilla. Palate: Cinnamon and clove with more spearmint. Finish: Medium length with medium heat. Some oaky notes finally arrive. Splash: Spearmint notes really take over. Overall: 8/10 - This is an enjoyable, affordable rye that has pleasant spearmint notes throughout, and would probably stand up well to cocktails. I haven't tried any other Whistlepig expressions, but this entry level offering makes me want to sample more.

On the nose…spicy rye notes First taste… bold spicy sweetness that transitions into grassy and almost hay-like notes. Rye spice notes are very prominent… somewhat unusual Second taste…. More of the same, subtly spicy sweet taste with rye notes … light in color and smooth going down. This is different from the 10 year… but really not a bad bourbon. I expected the taste of the 10 year… but I suppose 4 additional years of aging mellows the 100% rye taste. I would recommend this bourbon.

An intense American Rye Whiskey from Vermont, made with 100% rye aged for 6 years in American white oak and bottled at 96.56 proof. It begins aromatically with notes of fresh cinnamon, black peppercorn, tangerine, and grapefruit zest; its bold life adds notes of cherry, cocoa, cardamom, and cured leather, leading to a spicy, medium-length death with notes of baking spices, vanilla, and citrus. December 2022

Smell: Apples, cinnamon, warm leather, and a hint of honey. Distant peppercorn. Taste: Warm leather, damp bark, barrel, transitioning to toast. Texture: Medium to light body. Finish: A swift drop with a lingering tail. This means the primary sensation faded rather quickly, but the secondary notes persisted.