WhistlePig FarmStock Rye Crop No. 003

Review #086 Type: American/Canadian blended rye Proof: 43% Comments: comprised of 52% 3-year rye (grains grown at WhistlePig farm and distilled at WhistlePig distillery), blended with 31% 6-year and 17% 10-year rye from Alberta CA, this bottle is the first release to feature a majority of the distillery’s own distillate, aged in custom Vermont white oak casks which originate from the distillery’s 500-acre forest Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Deep gold color. Swirling reveals a thin line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 17/20 There’s a lot going on here. What I’m able to discern is rye bread, caramel, malted apple cider, dark chocolate covered cherries, subtle hints of spent coffee grounds, and a rich earthy aroma. It’s complex and sweet and demands a couple extra minutes to take it all in. Palate: 31/40 Rye spice and black pepper dominate, yet it’s very smooth. There’s also lemon peel, red apples, cinnamon, and some oak tannins. Finish: 33/40 Long finish. Lemmon pepper, orange zest, and an odd (but not unsavory) blandness which I can’t quite pinpoint get things going. More rye spice and oak tannins follow. Slowly it mellows out, leading to the introduction of some vanilla and caramel, finally ending with just a bit of nutty milk chocolate. With Water: A couple drops of water enhance the citrus aromas on the nose and flavors on the palate, a little bit. Total: 81/100 Final thoughts: As I understand it, these Farmstock Rye bottles are among the first made with their own distillate, having blended it with the other rye whiskey they have sourced from Canada (which is what’s exclusively used in their other age statement bottles). Overall, I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to seeing what future releases yield as their own contributions age further and increase in percentage of the overall volume. I’m very grateful to have received this bottle as a gift from a friend, and I think if I stumble upon another for less than $70 then I’d for sure scoop it. Price: gift Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Nose: Nutmeg and cinnamon lead the charge, with dill and a little cumin. Cardamom pods, too. Some vanilla and icing, with a touch of oak - not much in the way of char here. I'm reminded of the slightly sweet vegetal character of red bell peppers. Also luxardo cherries if you dialed back the sweetness. Raisins and pine sap. Letting it open up a little and citrus oil and rosemary come through. And that pure rye character also shows up, too. Flat off-brand cola. The sweetness also ramps up a decent amount, alongside some solid toasted black peppercorn. Palate: Getting vanilla, white sugar, oak, rye, and nutmeg. Banana with chocolate and a little cinnamon. That hit of baking spices and black pepper are all here, too. Home Run apple pie but without the icing and a touch of lemon. Tannins come through just enough, with a little bitterness. Black tea is also here, though just barely. Everything is somewhat well balanced, leaning more on the subtle side. Mouthfeel is light. Finish: Sugar, vanilla, apples, cinnamon. A little oak comes into play and then we get lemon pepper and pine. Some very slight wet cardboard vibes, but not like you get from certain parts of the tail cuts. Medium length. Other notes: WhistlePig helped me understand the concept of a "distillery profile". Everything I've had from them shares some attributes that I actually quite enjoy. I have yet to be disappointed by any of their releases, and I'm glad that this meets my expectations. It's not perfect, however. This has bitter citrus character that I want contrasted some more with maybe some sweetness, oak, or a touch of char. Maybe smaller casks at a higher char level? Regardless, this is another solid release and though the line hasn't quite earned a permanent spot in my bar, it's still one I can recommend if you dig rye, enjoy WhistlePig, or want something a little different. Cheers!

I am a huge fan WhistlePig 10. I find it worth wondering what will happen to that offering as WhistlePig transitions to expressions that feature their own distillate. The 10 is sourced from Canada, while this is a blend of 17% 10 year old Canadian rye, 31% 6 year old Canadian rye, and 52% is their own 3-year old. I’m viewing this as a sneak preview into the future of WhistlePig. Nose: Heavy rye spice and baking soda. Clove and nutmeg. Caramel and vanilla. Pistachio. Gala apple, apple cider, and black pepper. Oak rounds it all out. Spice definitely leads the way, but there are also some subtle sweet notes. Palate: Gala apple and black pepper. Rye spice, clove, and nutmeg. Caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla Pistachio and almond. Orange peel, as well as the citrus, and cocoa. Finish: Baking soda, rye spice, cinnamon, black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Caramel, cocoa, orange peel, and cocoa. Pistachio, almond, and oak. Somewhere between moderate and long finish. After trying this, I have faith in the WhistlePig distillate. I prefer the 10, but this is damn good in its own right. Considering that this stacks up despite being substantially younger than its 10 year counterpart, there is a lot of upside here. Nose is great, palate is just a hair behind but still solid, and the finish provides a strong conclusion to this experience. $76 is a hefty price to pay for this—at least on paper. However, it delivers, and then some. More importantly, this gives me reason to be optimistic about WhistlePig’s potential as a grain-to-glass distillery. 4/5.

It’s December 14, and I’m going to try a new rye whiskey every day this month. And while my rye game is not as weak as my Scotch game was this time last year, I’m always up for suggestions on good rye whiskies. And now that I have goals (it’s good to have goals), there are some key players I could use your help finding. Send me your most intense contender. Goals (abridged): 5 ryes. 4.5 stars. Readily available. (3/5, WT101, Whistlepig 10, Whistlepig 12) I want to recognize the difference between any bourbon and any rye. First try. One of these must be an Empire Rye. I want a raunchy rye. I want the one that tastes like homemade turkey gravy made from scratch, right after you help make homemade turkey gravy made from scratch. >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Smooth is the word with this limited release. Very balanced with a unique flavor profile. It doesn't drink like a typical rye. There is a bit of back of the mouth heat on the finish, but no real spice or cinnamon. The grassy barn like flavors are definitely there but not enough to make it a negative. It almost has an American Malt flavor to it. It is strange because I do not care for American Malt, but I really like this. It is pricey, but all of the WP offerings seem to be. Strange as it seems, I like this better than the WP 10yr. This limited expression will not last long so get a taste while you can.

The nose of the whiskey contains the scents of burnt vanilla, woodsmoke, and a hint of dark cherry at the end. On the palate, the drink starts with the taste of honey that transitions into vanilla in the body of the taste. There is an undercurrent of baking spice throughout that finishes with a peppery bite and a floral bitterness. It has the sweet, alcohol forward taste of a young whiskey, though the influence of the older ryes is clearly apparent in the complexity of the flavor profile.