Review #38 - Whistlepig 12 Year Old World Rye
Finished Ryes Mini-Series: Part 3 of 3
To finish up this series, we're looking at an older rye, aged 12 years, distilled in Canada, though it's blended and bottle in Vermont. This is Whistlepig's Old World Rye, which mixes the traditional new oak barrel maturation with a combination of Madeira, Sauternes, and Port casks. The proportions of the whisky aged in each of the three finishing casks varies between batches; we've added our specific breakdown below.
This review's cask finishes come from a couple of countries: Madeira and Port are both fortified wine varieties hailing from Portugal, while Sauternes in a sweet wine variety coming from Bordeaux, France. There should be some sweet and dry tasting notes from these casks, though mostly sweet, so it's likely to be a dessert whisky affair.
Whistlepig 12 Year Old World Rye
USA/Canada - Rye
Price Paid: USD 102 (2022)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 160 (2023)
Age Statement: 12 Years
Strength: 43% ABV
Cask Makeup: New charred oak, finished in 63% Madeira, 30% Sauternes, and 7% Port casks (Percentages vary by bottle)
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 7 months; bottles at 90%, 100%, 80%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Tropical and sweet, and almost a bit moonshine-y to start. Lots of coconut, bits of pineapple, some sweet citrus juice, and candied orange peel start us out; then it's on to icing sugar, maple sugar, smooth light caramels, and a bit of vanilla. There is a great sweet, mellow oak note in here, ever-present and never overwhelming. After just a smattering of soft barbecue notes like sweet smoked meat, we get to the spice, which is plentiful and varied: cinnamon, mild black pepper, some nutmeg, and some chai tea notes as well.
Palate: Hard to know where to begin; there is quite a lot going on, even if the medium-thin mouthfeel doesn't allow a blast of flavor. In terms of spice, it's a little stronger than the nose, with nutmeg, black pepper, vanilla, and cardamom. There are sugars as well, plenty of sweetness: light brown sugar, icing sugar, and wood sugars. On that note, plenty of wood in general, strong oak, though again, it isn't overwhelming. Lots of baking notes here, too: cherry pie with the crust and some cake in addition to those spice notes. There is orange, light pineapple, red wine sangria, but also we find that tiny savory note once more, like black peppered barbecue, and mild leather.
Finish: Medium length finish, still pretty mellow overall, just mild warmth to go with it. Plenty of oak once more, sweet, slightly delicate; just slightly astringent at times, before a wave of rich icing sugar and a bit of syrup. Citrus again, but not orange, instead some lemon and warm cinnamon, just a tiny bit of smoke to go along with it; we end with cool red wine and a tiny bit of moonshine once more.
Final Note: We were lucky to snag a bottle of this on a great sale here in the US (around $100); at its 'normal' price in our region, we've seen it sold between $130 and $170, which is steep. Not that it isn't a good whisky, it just isn't $150+ whisky. Still, beyond the pricing, this is tasty - the flavors are well-integrated, especially on the nose, though at times, the palate can't quite live up. A bump in ABV would definitely help, as it comes across a little thin, and more strength would help the finish last longer as well. Overall, decent stuff, but try to find it at a discount.
Our Average Rating: 7.5 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.91
