This private barrel was selected especially for Healthy Spirits. Our last High West private barrel was finished in a used peated scotch cask, and the one prior to that in a Malbec wine cask. Wine-cask finishings have become more common now in American whiskey. But High West has been perfecting the finishing process for longer than most, and experimenting far more than most. High West must occasionally be tight-lipped about certain details of their process and sourcing, per contractual obligations with their partners. But here is what we can share about this Healthy Spirits pick’s particular stats:

• Barrel No. – 21979
• Mash Bill(s) + Source – Blend of 95% Rye / 5% Malted Barley column-still whiskey from MGP; 80% Rye / 20% Malted Rye pot-still whiskey from High West Distillery.
• Proof – 100.2
• Age – Unstated blend of straight MGP and High West rye whiskeys, aged a minimum of 2 years prior to finishing.
• Finish Time – 13 additional months in a once-used ruby port barrel

Let’s jump right into a glass. I tasted this after letting it sit for about 10 minutes in a traditional Glencairn.

COLOR – dark rust-orange with glints of gold and brass NOSE – dark honey, raspberry caramel, dry axe-split oak, fruity red wine, dry rye grasses and other herbal spices, candied orange zest PALATE – some kind of orange apricot-cherry compote stirred in with rich caramel, then more recognizably red-wine notes come forward toward the end along with a fiery plume of heat FINISH – is red wine bubblegum a thing? (It is now!) That along with a lingering prickly heat, soft red fruit compote notes, more caramelized wine notes, and a wafting of the dry rye and herbal notes like on a breeze OVERALL – fruity, desserty, syrupy, and spicy.

The more ryes I experience that have been finished in red wine or port casks, the more I appreciate the pairing of spicy and sweet elements that tend to come of it. When done well, there is a nice balance to be had, like with a good meal that also pits the spicy against the sweet, each allowing the other to pop.

High West has been experimenting with endless cask finishings for years, from various dessert wines to peated scotch casks. Their blenders have excellent, nuanced palates for pairing flavor elements. Here they’re letting the ruby port barrel show itself a bit more forwardly than the rye whiskey, creating a decadent desserty effect. I can imagine enjoying this on a chilly night after a good hearty meal. I could see it going toward a killer High Ball or Spritz, even a Manhattan or Old Fashioned. On its own, it can serve the purpose a glass of port might, only with the heat and spiciness amped up a bit more.

After you’ve poured yourself a glass, the next time you stop by the store let us know what you think.

Cheers!

Mark

• 750ML

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