The Baby Boss
While I continue to field questions about the Whistle Pig "Boss Hog" 14 year old limited edition—the $500 bottle of rye that has everyone asking "is it really that good?"—I've found a few alternatives (four of them, actually) for those of you who like to keep your whiskey indulgences under $100. I've got four new single casks of 10 year old Whistle Pig that, in my opinion, are the most exciting single barrels of (North) American whiskey we've locked down this year. Hence, I've saved the best for last.
Here's how it's going to work. I'm only going to release a new cask once the previous one has sold through, so there will never be multiple barrels available at the same time. Each cask is very, very small. For example, the current barrel pictured above yielded less than 140 total bottles. Perhaps that explains the beautiful concentration of flavor in this 115.8 proof cask strength expression. The nose smells like classic rye, but it's the initial sip that really stands out in this particular whiskey. It's seductively sweet, not in a supple or viscous way, but rather the same way that a graham cracker is sweet. The sugar excites your tastes buds and perks up your palate, but it's really just a side show for the wood, oak spices, and peppery rye character to work their collaborative magic. The mid-palate then gives way to Bourbon-like richness, maple notes, and burnt vanilla before finishing quite dry and spicy. If you've been jonesing for a new bottle of high proof rye, or a Handy/Kentucky Owl substitute, this will definitely do the trick. It's a fantastic bottle of whiskey from front to back, destined to impress any serious fanatic, and we're only on the first cask!
-David Driscoll