High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 8 (All Scenes)

Rating: 17/23 I've been looking forward to trying this one for quite some time, so I've been saving this sample. I'm not sure why, but tonight felt like the night to pop it open, so here goes! N: Bitter, spicy rye comes out big and bold. There's a tart fruitiness as well and a surprising umami. Nettle and a hint of mint. I'm not getting a whole lot out of this nose, but it's rich. Maybe it needs a few minutes. After waiting a really long time, some tart citrus (orange peel with some lemon) comes out alongside some rich rye bread. P: Big spicy rye with decadent port fruit. The fruit is big, red, and juicy, with a sweetness that borders on syrupy. A bit of blackberry as well, and maybe the faintest blueberry. There's lots of herbal bitterness with nuance that reminds me of Whistlepig PiggyBack. Some creosote in here as well, but not a ton. A bit of licorice. I thought I'd get leather, but I'm not actually getting any. Despite all of these bold flavors, there is a slightly empty middle to the palate due to the lack of sweetness and leather to fill it out. A quick double check shows that my palate is in great shape, so I'm not just missing them. Also, what are these spices? It's definitely a dry, bitter, herbal, slightly green rye spice, but what do I compare it to? Adding a bit of water, I can taste cherry and orange peel. Without the water, this is hot. It's never harsh, but it's spicy and hot. F: Rye dryness with a spicy kick and a bit of peppermint. Some lingering sweetness from the port fruit. - Conclusion - Combining rye with port doesn't seem like an obvious choice to me, but the result here is great! Trying Whistlepig Piggyback (16/23) side by side, I get a lot of the same rye profile. This is a bit less vegetal, but that could be because the port is overwhelming most of those flavors. They're about equally nuanced, though this is more approachable and fun with its sweet fruits. This is definitely better, though it's not tremendously better. Joseph Magnus (21/23) is a highly-finished, spicy, leathery bomb with chocolatey notes and greater fullness and decadence than this has. Although the Joseph Magnus is probably spicier than this is, is isn't as hot. There's a greater sense of maturity to the Joseph Magnus as well, though this never tasted super old. The Joseph Magnus maybe doesn't crush this, but it is clearly much better. This is definitely closer to the Whistlepig - which is a great whiskey as well! Resilient 15 (18/23)...is very different. It's more subtle and nuanced, with less interesting flair and more maturity. This is much closer than the Joseph Magnus was, but I'd still give the win to the Resilient. Wild Turkey Rare Breed (18/23) is bolder and richer, but less refined. They're pretty similar in quality, but I'm leaning toward the Wild Turkey. Russell's Reserve Single Barrel (18?/23) tastes perhaps not as elegant as this, but it balances richness and complexity with a suitable level of refinement. Oddly, I've never tasted the similarity in DNA between Sussell's Reserve Single Barrel and Russell's Reserve 10 more than I do right now. Just an interesting note. Because of the burn this has, I think I'd take the Russell's Reserve. Old Forester 1920 (18/23) is more hedonistic than this. It's spicier as well, but doesn't burn any more than this does. There's some nice complexity in the Old Forester too. I think this is another case of this being almost as good as an 18. This is a great dram, but it still tastes youthful and in need of refinement, from the burn to the flavors. I won't say that it tastes muddled, but it's in this odd spot that I think I haven't encountered before, where I taste a lot going on, but I struggle to identify the particular flavors. Considering that the Whistlepig is a high 16, this is at least a 17, but it isn't passing an 18. I've spent a while going back and forth between the two, but most of the time I've been thinking it's a 17 and that's where I think I'm going to land. This has spent a lot of time being almost as good as numerous 18s. Although I expected a bit more of this dram (because my expectations were very high), I'm not at all disappointed by this experience. I thought I'd be trying a unique whiskey that pulled off a magic trick with its port barrel aging. Instead, I tried a great example of why rye should be aged in port barrels more often! A big thank you to @ctbeck11 for sharing this!

I have had the good fortune to purchase every Act since Act 2. The second and third Acts were incredible. Some of the best whiskey I have tasted. From those Acts forward, the quality has diminished each year. However, these Acts have slowly been improving with every successive release since Act 6. N: On initial nosing, you are welcomed immediately by baking spices. Not overpowering, but with an inviting, light, cordial greeting. Cinnamon sugar, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, pumpernickel. As it opens, the grape, port sweetness peeks through which rounds the spicy spices. P: The initial sip is gently biting; prickly. Once it softens, the port wine coats the palate. BlackBerry jam, mingled with rye, black pepper, cinnamon spice, oak spice, dates, with some herbal undertones. F: A long finish that’s oaken with orange and lemon zest. Spearmint, charcoal, black licorice ride to a very long lasting ending. W: A touch of water sweetens the dram softening the spice. This rounds the dram and creates a more approachable dram. Whatever your mood, hard or soft, just drink straight or add water to enjoy a softer side. O: The previous releases were somewhat weakened from the early Acts. This Act is a step forward to its former greatness. This was a bottle that was opened a month ago. That month of resting has improved the dram as the initial pour was somewhat incoherent. Give this time in the bottle and time in the glass and you will be rewarded positively. [91/100][$125][Tasted: 11/21/2025]

Nose - strawberry jam, anise, earthy mint, cocoa, currant, caramel, vanilla, black cherry, plum, clove, allspice, cinnamon bark, dry oak, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - strawberry jam, spearmint, clove, anise, cranberry, butterscotch, vanilla, cherry, plum, cinnamon, sour oak, orange zest, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with jammy red fruit, mint, spearmint, anise, and baking spice flavors. It’s Christmas Eve, and this whiskey has visions of sugar plums dancing through my head. I bought the bottle last year and haven’t had more than a few pours of it since. Let’s hope it keeps the Christmas spirits high. The nose is minty and jammy. Dark red fruits abound with a heavy dose of anise and other baking and rye spices. The palate keeps the mint train rolling, offset with those same dark red, jammy fruits, bark spices, and sour, almost tannic oak. Well this is good, but I really wanted to like it more. The aromas and flavors are nice, but something’s off. It’s slightly sour and generally feels like it’s lacking some necessary depth. The finish also misses the mark and is borderline thin. Overall, this profile had a lot of potential, but the execution just doesn’t deliver. It seems I’ve missed the glory days of MWND releases. I spent $110 on this bottle last year, and it’s not worth it. I can’t speak for the newest act, but it probably doesn’t deserve a pickup at anymore than retail.

Assessed in a Glencairn Spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Neat - Definitely noticing the port barrel influences right away, slightly tangy / acidic grape musk, marzipan, shoe polish, rye bread characteristic, orange marmalade and sugary pie crust. Adding a teaspoon of water and . . . A strong oak aroma develops, stewed dark fruits, gentle sawdust and bright vanilla bean pod. Taste - Neat - Quite nippy undiluted, mild tannins, bittered honey, a sort of herbal bitterness coming through and unsweet Luxardo maraschino cherries. Adding a teaspoon of water . . . Speyside scotch resemblances, bittersweet chocolate, black tea and I find myself wanting to reiterate on the prominence of the Luxardo maraschino cherry on the exhale especially. Final thoughts : Definitely the most interesting Rye you’ll ever drink. I think they could’ve aged a bourbon in the same fashion and you’d have gotten a far less complex final product. The inherent savory / spicy characteristics of a rye really temper the sweetness picked up from the time spent in French port casks, and that combination is what makes for the more interesting notes such as shoe polish, black tea and Luxardo maraschino cherries. It’s very reminiscent to me of a good Speyside scotch. Definitely recommend giving this one a try if you’re a seasoned whiskey drinker looking for something unique!

This is the first Rye bottle, that I've ever bought, and I really dig this one. Sorry if I seem uneducated with my "notes", but the nose is obviously port forward, and there is an old, wet lawn mowing shoe funk to it...which really makes this stand apart from EVERYTHING else I've ever tried. Scotch lovers always search for this musty, damp note, when done well, and I sincerely believe it's in this glass. The taste is soooo port-y, still whiskey, but the port brings a voluptuousness that complements a slightly sour / dill-like flavor experienced in the second half of the tasting. This is super cool. Its hard to evaluate the finish because I keep wanting to experience the taste, but it is drying; like chewable grape Asprin. There is a not-so-subtle vanilla icing sweetness underlying the entire experience and "carried throughout its memory." - best Shakespeare-like, imitation. I'm very happy I took the plunge, and am nervous I may have harder choices at the liquor store in my future, now that the rye shelf will be seriously evaluated. 5.0 - go out and buy all of the stock you can find. 4.0 - must buy at least one bottle before you die. 3.0 - solid, must try at a bar, or mooch from a friend. 2.0 - didn't like it, you may. 1.0 - you may have the palate of my dog, and he licks his own ass.

The nose starts off sweet with notes of wine mingling with smooth oak, as earthy rye spice comes in behind. It is spicy yet pleasantly subtle, With notes of dark chocolate soon backing everything up. The palate is full with rye spice hitting the corners of the mouth as wine sweetness floods in alongside it. It is somewhat chewy with notes of oak coming out with each chew. Everything comes together in a perfect balance to be simple yet flavorful. This is incredibly easy to drink and is the perfect blend of rye with a wine finish. The finish is long and a bit chewy, with lingery notes of oak leftover as the mouth still tingles a bit with faint notes of dark chocolate in the background.