Straight Rye #1 Released: September 2017 11 YEARS OLD 110.6 PROOF / 55.3% ABV The nose on this rye has elements of sweet pine, honey, nougat, vanilla, cloves and lavender. Oaky undertones, subtle cedar saw dust or fresh split cedar.
What Gary Says
Nose: Herbal spice, anise, cloves, mint, citrus with grilled peaches and a bit of root beer. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, rye spice with cinnamon, orange zest, lime sour candies, cloves, bit of mint and root beer. Finish: Moderately long with citrus tending towards lime, mint and fading spices. Comments: Full disclosure – I’ve never been a fan of this brand. When they came out in 2014 as bourbon was really getting crazy (or so I thought at the time), the lack of transparency and price seemed to me to be designed to just take advantage of the craze over limited editions. I’m sharing all of that because when I saw Richard provided a sample of their rye (which I’d have never bought), I was prepared to find it ridiculously ordinary and overpriced. Can’t say it isn’t overpriced (over $10 a year), but far from ordinary. This is a really nice, strong spice rye. While they don’t disclose the mash bill, nothing ‘barely legal’ here. A bit of water brings out more root beer and cotton candy on the nose, and amps the root beer notes on the palate.
High West The Noble Share Blend of Straight Whiskeys finished in Marques de Casa Noble Añejo Barrels
52% ABV $175 Website We would like to thank High West Whiskey and lippe taylor for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
Continuing the tradition of cross-category innovation, High West Distillery is partnering with Casa Noble Tequila on the release of The Noble Share, a blend of straight rye whiskeys finished in Marques de Casa Noble extra añejo barrels. High West, the Park City-based distillery, is known for its meticulously sourced and thoughtfully blended whiskeys. Casa Noble is a fine tequila built on seven generations of mastery using innovative methods that honor modern Mexican culture. This collaboration is something that will appeal to both whiskey and tequila connoisseurs. The dichotomy of the brands and their respective regions is reflected on the label, mirroring one another yet displaying their vastly different geographies. This is an exciting collaboration for the Spirits community and High West is honored to blend its’ whiskey traditions with Casa Noble’s heritage and offer this new expression to consumers.
This unique and limited edition expression leverages 4- to 10-year-old rye whiskeys and finishes them in Marques de Casa Noble añejo tequila barrels for 6 months. A portion of the blend is finished in Amburana barrels at a char of 3 or medium toast treatments for a small period to elevate the whiskey even further. This whiskey blends the heritage of High West Whiskey with the 7-generation legacy and craftsmanship of Casa Noble to create an exceptional bottle of whiskey that tastes and feels unlike any other. It is the first-ever collaboration between Casa Noble and High West.
Sensory Notes Nose: Ripe mango, ruby grapefruit, spiced apple cider, piloncillo sugar, anise, allspice berries, mesquite wood, sunset walk through an agave field Palate: Baked pear, charred peaches, ginger molasses cookie, freshly fried churro, orange blossom, cinnamon bark, black licorice, oak, leather Finish: Pink peppercorns, dark agave honey on a sopapilla
Mash Bill High West Distillery Rye (80% rye, 20% malted rye) MGP Rye 4-10 years old (95% rye, 5% malted barley)
What Gary Says
Nose: Tropical fruit notes of mango and candied pineapple, agave, floral undertones, tarragon, squeeze of lime, cinnamon, hint of anise and oak spices. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with pears, apples and peaches, cinnamon pastry, agave and blood orange. Finish: Moderately long and drying with citrus and cinnamon. Comments: This is a really interesting whiskey! The tequila finish shines through but isn’t overpowering and really complements the core rye base. The amburana finish is also deftly managed, bringing that cinnamon roll note to the party. This drinks deliciously neat, but adding just a few drops of water opens up that amburana cinnamon roll with vanilla icing on both the nose and palate. High West has always been innovative and not afraid to try new things (I think back to when they released Campfire, a blend of bourbon, rye and scotch, back in 2012; made it my mission to hunt one down and was glad I did!) This may not be quite as groundbreaking as Campfire was at the time, but a very nice sipping whiskey.
Celebrating Modern Day Whiskey. Honoring The History. It’s been 100 years or so since the Jack Daniel Distillery released a whiskey of 10 years of age or greater. Evolving Jack Daniel’s past aged-stated whiskey process, these Tennessee Whiskey barrels have been aging in the Buzzard’s Roost of our barrelhouse, and methodically relocated to the lower floors of different barrel houses to extend the aging process for the last 10 summers. The extreme weather variation at different locations in the barrel houses along with longevity in our handmade oak barrels creates an intense, unique character of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey.
Discover Jack Daniel’s 10 Year Old Tennessee Whiskey for yourself. We think you’ll agree, it’s well worth the wait.
Aged 10 Years Notes of warm butterscotch and soft fruit Incredibly long finish with sweet tobacco and spice
What Gary Says
Nose: Salted caramel, crème brûlée, banana nut bread and cinnamon. Palate: Rich and thick, bread pudding, caramel, honey, chocolate and nutty. Finish: Moderate in length, syrupy with caramel, chocolate and fading baking spices. Comments: This is just a delightful dram! Rich with robust flavor. Those baking spices with bananas and nuts are just a lovely combination. My only wish would be to have this at cask strength (or I’d settle for 107 proof).
Mashbill: 51% Malt, 49% Corn Rickhouse: MM Special Characteristics: Our Master Distiller selected this limited offering of 9 year-old Small Batch Malt Whiskey to have a unique mashbill with 51% Malt resulting in a smoky, sweet flavor with a long, lingering finish.
What Gary Says
Nose: Malty, dark fruit notes of raisins and blackcurrants, smokey, hint of cedar and honeysuckle. Palate: Rich mouthfeel, sweet and fruity with plums, berries, peaches, anise, cloves and cinnamon. Finish: Moderate to long, drying, fruity with baking spices. Comments: Very different whiskey. If you’re a fan of scotch – this isn’t that (but some similarities). If you’re a fan of bourbon – this isn’t that (but again, some similarities). The whiskey is really dark in the glass, and with a bit of water the nose opens up with orchard fruits like peaches and pears, and the palate thickens more and also brings out some peaches and apples. My dad and I took the opportunity to partake in the Heaven Hill offering of “You Do Bourbon” during our Bardstown trip in April 2024. For $40 a person (plus taxes & service fees, all told it was about $46 and change per) you get to hear a bit about Heaven Hill’s history and mashbills – and get to taste Elijah Craig barrel proof, Larceny barrel proof, Bernheim Wheat whiskey barrel proof, and a ‘special selection’ which varies. If you like what you tried, you have the opportunity to bottle your own bottle (1 bottle per person). It isn’t a ‘single barrel’, but rather an ‘exclusive batch’ that you can only get there. And if you buy the ‘special offering’ – you can only buy one – period! Even if you were to buy another tour ticket for the next day – they restrict that mainly to deter ‘flippers’. Anyways – my dad and I both were really impressed with this 9 year malt whiskey, and he bought a bottle and was nice enough to let me bring a sample home. I wound up buying the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof as that stood out as a really nice pour – better than I recalled many of the retail batches (although I really wanted one of these too). Crossing my fingers he won’t drink it all before I get up to visit at the holidays!
56.05% ABV $85 Website We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Blender Says
New Year. New beginnings. New traditions. The new year is a time of renewal and fresh starts, a chance to reflect on past accomplishments and look to what lies ahead. Barrell New Year Bourbon 2025 celebrates the possibilities and optimism that every new year brings.
BLEND COMPONENTS: Kentucky Bourbon: 5, 6, & 9 years old Indiana Bourbon: 5, 6, 7, 11, & 12 years old Tennessee Bourbon: 8, 9, & 15 years old Wyoming Bourbon: 9 & 12 years old New York Bourbon: 5 years old Texas Bourbon: 5 years old Ohio Bourbon: 5 years old Maryland Bourbon: 6 & 7 years old
FLAVOR NOTES A gentle cask influence underlies the palate while it builds on the diversity of fruit and herbs. An initial note of candied pineapple hints at a tropical depth revealed only with a splash of water.
Neat Appearance: Radiant copper. Nose: Undertones of chamomile tea and a squeeze of lemon, followed by chardonnay and pear. Dried pineapple nods toward a hidden tropical depth. A richness is revealed by notes of beeswax, wheat cracker and white chocolate. There’s a vibrant piquancy that conjures ginger ale as well as just a hint of minerality. Palate: A whole host of herbs typical of alpine liqueurs, notably thyme, lemon balm, and peppermint. Juicy notes of Meyer lemon and key lime pie recall the citrusy aroma. The fruit then diverges, adding lychee and grape soda. While initially subdued, the oak gains steam over time, carrying with it allspice and vanilla. Finish: A brief flash of wasabi jolts all the senses awake. Oils coat the palate, notably tea tree and grapefruit, but also a note of fried plantain. Maraschino liqueur, rosehip and coconut water linger. With a splash of spring water It blooms with the tropical papaya, passionfruit and orange marmalade. The fruits keep coming: tart cherry, applesauce, cantaloup and more. The lower proof renders the palate richer, creamier, and spicier.
What Gary Says
Nose: Vanilla, tropical fruit notes, pear, lemon zest, toasted oak, honey, hint of tea and a subtle mineral note. Palate: Cross between lemon meringue and key lime pie with orange marmalade on top, honey, vanilla, caramel and herbal spices. Finish: Moderate in length, drying with tropical fruit notes, lemon-lime and a bit of pepper spice. Comments: This is very nice bourbon, and very unique! I can’t recall another bourbon that has included a blend from a minimum of 8 different distilleries (8 different states, and with different ages – it could be more distilleries than that!) Nice citrus-forward dram, that surprised me with the derived mashbill. I would have guessed 35%+ rye, but this showcases how blending different bourbons from different distilleries can really lead to something quite. I remain blown away by whomever does their tasting notes (I avoid reading them until I have done my own review, but often find they call out things I couldn’t put my finger on but definitely experienced). A versatile whiskey that I enjoy neat or with a few drops of water, but the citrus bend would lend this to working well in a rye or bourbon-based cocktail!
