High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 9 (All Scenes)

Managed to get a hold of Act 9. And like most other MWND offerings I’ve had, I love it. One of the best whiskies I’ve had this year. Nose (out of 2): Exquisite and elite. Baking spices from rye, a little anise, and waves of brown sugar mesh well with the berry and plums that come from the port. 2.0 Taste (out of 4): The nose lets you know what you’re in for here, with that blend of spice and dark fruits bringing a richly sweet yet savory balance. A little pear and pepper notes as well. 3.0 Finish (out of 1): Wish it lingered a tad longer. But it makes a swift, enjoyable, and seamless leap from spice to sweet again. .75 Cohesiveness/Complexity (out of 1): Super unique. Unfolds perfectly. A lot going on. 1.0 Value (out of 2): Totally worth the MSRP of $99, and I gladly paid more for this annual release. So very unique, perfectly marketed, and ideal for the late fall/ and winter. Gets dinged some for value because it’s hard to find…but not impossible by any stretch. 1.75 Overall (out of 10): 8.25. This is a great whiskey, bordering on elite. Delightfully rich, sweet and dramatic enough with the spice. Man, what I would do for a cask-strength offering of this. I do a goofy bourbon show with some friends. Here's the link to the MWND review. Bourbon on a Budget: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy8H_6_f5yo

Nose- Very nicely done! At first whiff I get fresh strawberries, and a bit of nuttiness like pecan. The nose is crisp very clean. There may also be just a hint of Christmasy pine in the background. Palate- Strawberry rhubarb pie! There is a tart berry flavor that is delicious. The tartness walks a fine line but does not get bitter. More traditional caramel and a hint of chocolate are there too, and I wish they made their presence more felt. The mouthfeel is nice and rich. I get why the pro taster got ligonberries. The combination of tart, rich, and fruity reminds you of swedish pancakes withouth powdered sugar. Overall- Well done! The early MWND were hard to live up to. Act 7 was disappointing as less MGP and more HW distillate got added. 8 was improved. Both though strayed from the original profile as HW transitioned more of its own rye. Not a bad thing, just different. This however is a pleasant return to all of those original flavors. The flaw may be that it lacks the sweetness of my favorite.....Act 4. But this is rye that drinks like bourbon with a tart rye sass. I enjoyed it. Paired with an Opus X..... well that makes everything better. Cheers!

Rich, full nose greets you quickly here...plenty of spice, (wet) wood, some vanilla, dark fruits, and what I perceive as a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg...its unique, warming, and enjoyable. Fresh oak, cinnamon, and plenty of rye spice greet you on the sip, but even though this sounds brash, its actually quite gentle, and oh...so...smooth. Could add that there's some leathery feel, and this tastes like it has some serious age to it...much more than it actually does, which deserves a tip of the cap. Where there are hints of ethanol at the edges of the nose, this comes through with a very long, gradual warming, but never an alcohol burn. The finish on this is truly epic...I could have typed up this entire review and still had bits of flavor lingering on the tongue. Swirl this around...give it a bit of oxygen, admire the long lasting legs on this pour, and appreciate something worth the (MSRP) price of admission!

Alluring nose of vanilla, red berries, caramel, dry oak, and Chinese Five Spice. Some more of the rye spice and herbaceous dill come out as it rests and oxygen begins to do its thing. Very nice mouthfeel with some good richness and concentration. Counter to the nose, the rye comes out first with spicy anise and black pepper. Cherry cola, cinnamon, red berries, and vanilla come next. Flavors are very well balanced and show the port barrel finish and the rye. Finish is nicely sweet with a good amount of berries and vanilla cream. Some drying oak and tobacco carry the finish until it finally dissipates on the tongue. Very impressed with this. Been searching for a bottle at msrp for a while now and I am not let down in the slightest. Flavors abound and aren’t shy, palate is decadent, and the finish is sweet and lasts for minutes. As potent flavors as a barrel proof but without the burn. Highly recommended

I did a blind tasting between this act and my bottle of act 7. Act 7 was more subtle and subdued when it came to the port finish, it came in strongest during the tale end of the finish. Act 9, the nose had a more pronounced wine scent, ethanol and blackberries. The palate starts with a nice sweet mouthfeel and vanilla. The finish because relatively quickly with a lot of cinnamon spice and oak. Between 7 and 9, I prefer 9 mostly because it had more depth to it with more flavors and different mouthfeel than act 7. Both very nice in their own ways.

Midwinter Nights Dram is truly one of my favorite bottles of the year. Shocked & pleased not only to secure a bottle, but to add to the site. The complexity is so fantastic. Aroma is a winter spiced, cherry treat with lots of herbaceous notes. Some mint & touch of menthol. Thick in the glass with plenty of legs in the glass. Thick and, almost, oily mouth feel. Love it. Flavor also hits a cherry spiced flavor with mint and herbal notes lingering on the finish. A slight bready note on the finish as well. Just great, as always