Redwood Empire 12 Year Haystack Needle Double Barrel Port Cask Finish

I was really hesitant in purchasing this bottle. Barely any info on it, but following the Bourbon Junkies, I decided to take a gamble, so happy I did. I'm a fan of finished whiskey but the only bourbon I've tried with a port finish was the regular Angel's Envy, eh. It's a 13.5 year MGP, not just 12, finished in Port for 3 months. Has a bad ass sticker "Dramtalaty". A spin off of Mortal Kombat. Even has a pic of scorpion on it. The first time I tried this, did a blind head to head with Angel's Envy Port Finish, Haystack Port Finish, and Angel's Envy Cask Strength. I plan to do it again to confirm the results. Haystack was a neck pour as well. Nose, surprising AECS came 3rd then AE then Haystack. On the pallet and finish, AE 3rd, AECS, and Haystack. So a little preview that it beat out a $250-$299 bottle. This tasting was a second pour a week later, and it's even better than the neck pour. GC, 15 minutes N(5): So dense, thick and sweet. Definitely that port brandy like sweetness. Tons of milk and dark chocolate. As nose the different rims of the GC, I pick up ripe warm plums, pears, dash of lemon skin, wild flowers, fire roast marshmallow cherries, coke cola with the fizz so much more I couldn't pull. P(4.5): Burst of sweetness coating the whole mouth what mouth feel. Get some of that rye spice tingling the tongue. What really stands out is how creamy it feel. Cherries and coke. Reminds me of Stagg Batch 12. Amazing taste, definitely above average, but not a lot of complexity. Flavors are bold though F(4.75): So good I wish it was longer. Has a medium long finish. Chocolate. Sweet oak, not the bitter kind. Vanilla extract. Honey maple feel all over. Final thoughts: Definitely recommend. The Cab finish is coming, 100% picking that up. At 110 proof, I can't believe it's so easy to nose and drink. I'm scared of finishing the bottle too fast.

Neat. Sample. Being spoiled with finished MGP lately. Nose is fantastic on this. The MGP is dominate, the port is in the background. Butterscotch, graham cracker crust, vanilla frosting. Then it gets really jammy. BlackBerry preserves. It is really yummy. Vicious and oily. Absolute instant flavor bomb. Geez. BlackBerry preserves uppercut. Oh damn. That is the opposite of the nose. The port finish dominates to an impressive, oppressive degree. Wow. The MGP comes back on the finish and legs, leaves you with the nice butterscotch. Complete inverse of the nose. Another brilliant example of finished MGP. It seems like 12 year MGP is particularly a sweet spot for these great finishes. Delicious!

Had to have a dram after a bad port finished whiskey, to remind myself that port finish can be good. As far as port finished American whiskey goes, for me this is up there with MGP MWND, maybe even slightly better.

This was excellent! We had the collaboration with the Celtic Ray Irish Pub in Punta Gorda, FL

There’s a different sort of flavor coming through at the end on the back of the tongue

Deep dark fruits, oak, leather, cherry cola.