Rye, Whistlepig, PiggyBack 6yr, 750mL

Nose: Baked apples, lemon peel, and a bouquet of white flowers starts us off on the nose. It’s sweet, floral, and reminds me a bit of lemon scented Pledge. Underneath there’s a touch of minerality and fresh cracked black pepper. It’s an unusual nose but feels at home for Whistlepig.

Palate: My initial pour of this started off very earthy. With notes of petrichor, white pepper, and artificial lemon. But after letting the bottle open up for a few days, I have come back to it to find its much sweeter, softer, and shows off a bit more of the wood than when first tasted. Now, there are notes of vanilla, lemongrass, and spiced milk chocolate replacing the overwhelming earthiness I first experienced. The front of the palate features more of the sweeter note while the back of the palate and the finish shows off its spicy side. Even at 96.56 proof and with a 100% rye mashbill, the rye spice or heat never becomes overpowering, and instead at times feels more like a barely legal rye. Mouthfeel is good but the palate lacks a little bit of oomph.

Finish: Medium length finish that finally shows off that classic rye spice. There is more spearmint and clove adding a bit of zing that makes up for the soft palate.