High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 12 (All Scenes)

Almost. Almost there…but probably all HWMW going forward will always be “almost”. What i mean is if High West Midwinter is back to it’s early Act 2 and 3, which were amazing , and set the stage for this brand as its annual flagship product. When Act 2 came out , at a mere $60, I was floored. It took me back to spice markets in Jodhpur and Morocco , back to the orange lined streets of Sevile. But after act 4, it all fell apart. They raised prices from $60 to $80 to $100, and now anywhere from $130-300. All the while , lowering their quality. Less Jodhpur , Seville, and Morocco. More big corporate America. And every year, I have purchased this. Provided if and only if i can get it under $130. And every year, i’ve been disappointed. Except this year. Yes, its not Act 2 and 3, but its the best ( in my humble opinion) since act 4. That’s 8 whole years!! This is best enjoyed when its cold outside , and you’re sitting by a warm fireplace. Notes of mulled wine, and then flavors of plum, allspice, and cinnamon. A bit more plum than previous years, and thats a good thing. If you can find this anywhere around $120-130, it’s a worthwhile buy to open up with friends and family over the holidays. @Slainte-Mhath i’ll bring over a sample when we meet up in Oslo . @Richard-ModernDrinking , @pkingmartin … will send for our Jan tasting.

Nose: cherry, brown sugar, cinnamon, amaretto Taste: reflects the nose with strong amaretto and nutty notes. This is my second time trying this. My first time was in a bourbon bar. This time is from the first bottle I've actually found in a store. This is a quality whiskey. However, I found the first expression much more complex and unique. This expression is fairly straightforward. It has similar flavors to most bourbons. It's tasty but I'm a bit let down for the price I paid.

I am lucky to have Act 9-12 now. Cracking this bottle and trying it neat. It’s heaven on the nose & reminds me of fall-warm & cuddly. Notes of sherry, caramel, brown sugar, spearmint, clove, cinnamon, oak, figs, cherries, apple, crème brûlée, dates, apricot, candy apple & candy apple… very fruit forward and I’m loving it. On the palate it’s slightly spicy but smooth with notes of caramel, mint, clove, cinnamon, slight plum.. lots of spice and delicious!

Nose is heavy in dark fruits, cherry, plum, berries. Palate is very fruit forward with warming spices. Some port flavors (wish there were more). Very smooth and moderately complex for the proof. The more it sat the more flavors came through. Great winter sipper

Cranberry juice, dark berry pie, port, cinnamon undertones with the fruity rye popping out from the barrel influence, leather, raspberry jam, the rye, oak, and wine influence all vying for attention

This has the spice you expect of a rye and a strong port finish. This is a good bourbon, but not for the price. Note I’m not a fan of port finishes, so this bottle won’t appeal to me.