For part 27 of the finished whiskey series we are taking a look at the new Single Cask Nation Whistle Pig bottles! Single Cask Nation has had some legendary releases over the years so when they announced they were releasing not one, but two, MGP sourced Whistle Pigs and that they would both have sweet finishes I knew I needed to include at least one of them in this series. Thankfully I got lucky in their raffle and was able to get both bottles.
SCN Whistle Pig Tokaji Finish
Age: 12 years
Abv: 115.4 proof
Price: $
Neat
Nose: Rich oak, rye spice, strong herbs and a little sweet vanilla.
Taste: Warm baking and rye spices are well balanced with oak and sweet herbal notes. Oily mouthfeel that coats your tongue.
Finish: Long and lingering with herbal notes including a hint of MGP dill and more oak.
3 Stars - Excellent whiskey: I would be willing to hunt down a bottle
SCN Whistle Pig Rum and Vermouth Cask Finish
Age: 12 years
Abv: 100 proof
Price: $
Neat
Nose: Sweet red fruit, herbs and rye spice.
Taste: Sweet fruit and wine notes followed by an herbal medley with a bit of oak and spice toward the end. Excellent, viscous mouthfeel.
Finish: Very long finish with red fruit fading to oak, herbs and rye spice.
4 Stars - Extraordinary whiskey: An all time favorite
Conclusion
The Rum and Vermouth finished bottle is right up there with the High West Rendezvous Rye Barrel Select finished in Port Casks for 4 years and 7 months for my favorite rye whiskey of all time. It has everything I like about an MGP rye perfectly balanced by everything I like about a sweet finish. The herbal notes aren’t on the dill end, the sweetness is just right, the rich fruits are delicious and there is enough spice and oak to lend complexity without it being too spicy or dry. The Tokaji finish was very much an MGP rye whiskey and the barrel finish had a lot less influence for me. That said it did lend a little extra sweetness is pleasant way.
Overall I am super happy with these releases and I wish I could have gotten a backup on the Rum and Vermouth. Shipping was a slow, as is tradition with SCN, but I really wanted to include these in this series as it approaches its end.
I also tasted these blind on Instagram.
TL;DR: Great bottle, the rum and vermouth is an all time favorite rye