High West Campfire Whiskey
Batch No. 6, Bottle No. 2576
46% ABV
$65
Website
What the Blender Says:
How to Enjoy:
Neat, on ice or even great in cocktails.
The Name:
One morning at the Bruichladdich distillery B&B, my wife and I smelled peat in the air – the great ladies that made our meals were simmering a bottle of peated whiskey and sugar! Later that night, they brought out dessert of ripe honeydew drizzled with the peated syrup. That was the most unusual, delicious and memorable ending to a dinner I’ve ever had. The combination of melon and sweet smoke really worked – so (naturally…) I thought why not mix sweet bourbon and peat? The main flavor (or melody) is sweet honey from a ripe bourbon. The enhancing flavor (or harmony) is floral fruity spice from a mature rye whiskey. The accent (Satchmo’s gravelly voice!) is smoke from a peated scotch whisky. The proportions? Top secret.
Back Label Story:
I was going to write something cheesy about cowboys, campfires, and whiskey but I figured you might be more interested in how CAMPFIRE WHISKEY® came to be. One morning at the Bruichladdich distillery B&B, my wife and I smelled peat in the air – the great ladies that made our meals were simmering a bottle of peated whiskey and sugar! Later that night, they brought out dessert of ripe honeydew drizzled with the peated syrup. That was the most unusual, delicious and memorable ending to a dinner I’ve ever had. The combination of melon and sweet smoke really worked – so (naturally…) I thought why not mix sweet bourbon and peat? Worked for me! The main flavor (or melody) is sweet honey from a ripe bourbon. The enhancing flavor (or harmony) is floral fruity spice from a mature rye whiskey. The accent (Satchmo’s gravelly voice!) is the smoke from a peated scotch whisky. The proportions? Top secret. So…as the sun sinks low and the cold settles in, grab a bottle of CAMPFIRE WHISKEY and gather round a blazing fire to warm up, wind down your day, share stories, and deepen friendships. One taste of this sweet, spicy and, yes…smoky whiskey, you’ll know how it got its name. We like to enjoy CAMPFIRE WHISKEY® with s’mores…or good-looking strangers. If you find yourself in Old Town Park City, you ought to come visit the High West Distillery and Saloon and get a taste of our Western hospitality and our crowd-pleasing victuals.
David Perkins
Technical Details
Sweet: A straight bourbon whiskey from:
•75 percent corn
•21 percent rye
•4 percent barley malt (Source: from the old Seagrams plant, then called LDI now MGP)
Spicy and floral: A straight rye whiskey from:
•95 percent rye
•5 percent barley malt (Source: from the old Seagrams plant, then called LDI now MGP)
Smoky: A blended malt Scotch whiskey: made of 100-percent barley malt that has been peated (Source: We can’t say, but we can say it is not from Islay!)
•Age of the whiskies: all are 5 years or older
•Proportions of the component whiskies? Top secret!
Sensory Notes:
Nose: Floral, fruity, bright and spicy. Caramel and butterscotch. Light smoke and smoldering wood from a campfire the morning after. Jasmine, chai tea, sandalwood, leather, tobacco, pine resin and toasted bread.
Taste: vanilla, honey, toffee with some nice fruit, blueberries and black cherries. Chai spices – nutmeg, cinnamon and orange zest. Salty caramels. Tobacco. Gentle smoke!
Finish – Long, sweet, spicy, and smoky!
What Richard Says:
Nose: The rye jumps out on the nose with a light handed smoky back note that wisps in.
Palate: Rich vanilla cream, toffee crisp, black tea, wintermints, cracked black pepper and cinnamon dolce lattes.
Finish: Black pepper and slightly medicinal. Fading notes of oiled leather and old tobacco.
Comments: When I first read about this frankenwhiskey I thought it would be some experimental thing that would really suck. Tasting it I find it very interesting, pleasant and highly drinkable. It’s definitely a mood kind of whiskey but tasty and well put together.
Rating: Stands Out