In honor of Dave Pickerall, Whistle Pig’s late Master Distiller, I’ll be reviewing Whistle Pig Rye 10 Year. This whiskey is distilled in Canada and bottled at the Whistle Pig farm in Vermont. Without further ado let’s get to the nosing and sipping.
Review
Age: 10 years
Abv: 100 proof (50% ABV)
Mashbill: 100% Rye
Color: A medium gold
Price: $72.99
Neat
Nose: Very rye spice forward with oak and sweet notes lurking in the background
Taste: The 100% rye is very clear here as well with more bold spice notes as well as distinct sweet vanilla notes. The mouthfeel is also wonderful on this dram.
Finish: A long sweet linger with a bit of something floral or herbal as well.
On a rock
Nose: The ice can’t contain the strong spice notes which shine through alongside something sweeter though I do lose the oak from the neat nose.
Taste: The sweet vanilla is very prevalent with ice and the rye spice takes a bit of a backseat.
Finish: More of the spice comes through in a finish that stands up brilliantly to ice. Long and well balanced between spice and vanilla sweetness.
1 Star - Good whiskey: I would choose to drink this over readily available whiskies
Conclusion
This is an excellent whiskey and while I’ll only occasionally buy a bottle it is my go to whiskey for pairing with steak when I’m eating out. The strong, well balanced flavors that hold up well to ice make this a great fit for a long Friday lunch. Despite the higher proof it still drinks very smoothly and has an excellent mouthfeel. While it is a little pricey it is also very widely available again making it a staple of restaurant drinking. Thanks for the great rye Mr. Pickerall and I hope the folks you left behind can keep up the great work and honor your legacy.