WhistlePig The Boss Hog III: The Independent

Nose - (w/o water) Hints of dark cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, oaky, little hints of cherries & vanilla, latte foam. (w/ water) less bitter oak, adds more vanilla latte foam. Taste - (w/o water) Pleasant light herbal oaky butterscotch, lightly fruity bitter apple/cherry stems, dark chocolate bittersweet, hint of coke concentrate. (w/ water) more pronounced anise and butterscotch, more vanilla & cinnamon, fresh strawberries, rainier cherries, wisp of fresh green herbs & sweet mint. Finish - (w/o water) Lingering dry oaky heat, hint of dark chocolate bitterness, coke concentrate, transitions to a light dry mint effervescent feeling (w/ water) Lingering strawberry/Rainier cherry sweet, hint of sweet mint, less oak, more fruity vanilla but still dry. Score - 90/100 Final Thoughts - I guess I really wanted to love this...a lot...mainly due to how much I paid for the bottle and my expectations after trying a single barrel select. It was tasty, but not as "complex" or interesting as I hoped it would be. It's a very tasty rye and has no off-putting notes and is amazingly easy on the nose and palate for the proof. It has handled the 14 years of aging quite well and a bit of water really does open it up to reveal more fruity characters. This is quite tasty but I think it's quite overhyped and overpriced. I obviously wouldn't turn down a dram of this if offered, but I think I'd much rather have their 10 year single barrel selects as I think those have a lot more flavor and punch for the value. I think this would be best served neat with a glass and dropper of water on the side to dilute as needed. A tiny bit of water greatly softens up the oak from the 14 years and makes it a bit more fruity and enjoyable.

Cask-strength 100% Alberta rye finished in Macallan hogsheads? Yes please. It's dark and brooding in the glass and a cacophony of flavors on the nose, but like all high-proof WhistlePig products much smoother to sip than the ABV suggests. Still, even master distiller Dave Pickerell adds a few drops of water to his glass, which smooths out everything to reveal a typically classy rye from his Vermont farm. What distinguishes this from the rest of the range is the long, sherry-hued Scotch finish that really speaks to the previous occupants of the barrels. You can almost hear Pickerell's whisky lore emanating from this glass, or actually hear it if you're fortunate enough to be tasting it in his presence, as I was. I wouldn't pay $350-400 for a bottle, but do grab a sample if you're at all interested in rye, and especially if you like rye and Scotch.

~1.5 oz pour for 50 USD. It’s a potent rye with some single malt influence. This spent some time in ex-Macallan barrels. I could not identify Macallan specifically, and had to squint my eyes to really imagine that there was any sherry. This is just a well done spicy rye that goes down very smooth for 60% ABV. When this was still on the shelves, I had an opportunity to grab this on sale for $330. Glad I did not. The 4th edition (The Black Prince) is a much more memorable whiskey, although also more expensive. This does not have the fruity explosion that made me grab a full bottle of The Black Prince. 2.5 / 5 (price factored)

Puts together classic rye spices with s’mores, root beer floats, and fruits. Nose: Caramel Apples, Cinnamon, Chili Peppers, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Honey, Spearmint, Marshmallows, Dill, Brown Sugar, Brown Butter Cake, Pears, Grapes, White Chocolate Palate: Mexican Hot Chocolate, Honey, Bananas, Maple Syrup, Hershey Kisses, Coconuts, Walnuts, Almonds, Nutmeg, Orange Peels, Cola, Root Beer, Vanilla, Raisins Finish: Root Beer, Chili Peppers, Marshmallows, Hershey Kisses, Cherries, Peaches, Cloves, Pears, Dark Chocolate

$300 Notes of oak and vanilla on the nose, slightly sweet and spicy. Tastes great and good down smooth. Really get this burnt brown sugar with a little mint on the palate. Hints of scotch as well . Has a little peat and smoky taste but not overbearing like certain scotch. Nice long finish of spices. Really smooth for being 120 proof. Overall superb whisky but not as good as the black prince 4th edition :)

Actually I want to give it a 4.5/5 rating. While finishing a whole bottle of mine, I would prefer this one more than the Black Prince. However, I never enjoyed a whole bottle of BOSS HOG IV edition, so my conclusion may be very subjective.