Whistlepig Old World Rye

I first tried the Whistlepig 10 year Rye whiskey a couple years ago at a nearby Italian restaurant.  I fell in love with it then, and spent the entire meal slowly sipping and then smelling my empty glass.  The delicious aromas just wouldn't disappear.

I recently was able to give the newer Whistlepig Old World a try.   It's a 12 year old straight rye whiskey aged in a combination of barrels.  (63% Madeira - 30% Sauternes - 7% Port) It is 86 proof.

A couple of years ago the distiller Dave Pickerell (formerly of Makers Mark and now a craft spirits consultant) began working with the crew at Whistlepig to finish 12 year rye whiskey in various European used barrels.  They noted the effects that these barrels had on the finished whiskey and offered limited edition bottlings of them.  The above blend was settled on and the Whistlepig Old World was added to their lineup along with their regular 12 year rye and their newest release, the 15 year Vermont Oak.

I gave this bottling a taste neat out of a crystal rocks glass and it came across as tight, and a touch too astringent for my taste.  I had this problem before with the 10 year rye.  I recommended it to someone highly.  They bought a bottle, tried it and didn't enjoy the pour.  I opened a fresh bottle and it did come off tighter and less rounded than it did on previous tastings.  The solution was to give it some air, let it breathe and then revisit it.  It made the 12 year (as with the 10 year previously) much better, more complete and more rounded.


The color is a deep mahogany with a reddish tint.

There are aromas of red cherry and plum fruit, baking spice, toffee, honey and menthol.

The palate is dry and high toned, becoming more rich and rounded with air.  There are flavors of vanilla, caramel, molasses, honeycomb, oak, grain, cocoa, baking spice and a hint of orange and lemon citrus.

The finish is medium length with clove, cinnamon, oak, coffee, caramel and a light alcohol burn.


My advice, learned from tasting this and other Whistlepig products is to be patient and give your whiskey a bit of air. You're not going to get all the nuances just popping and pouring.

I've read that  this is a 95% rye and 5% barley mash bill sourced from MGP in Indiana as opposed to their 100% rye sourced from Canada that was used in their initial 10 year offering.