WhistlePig The Boss Hog V: The Spirit of Mauve

This was 48 USD for 1.5 oz pour. Sample rating: average +7 = 3.5 / 5 with the price factored in. My new scoring system goes from minus infinite to plus infinite, and 0 is the Glenfiddich 12. There's is thus no pressure in overrating something too close to some maximum possible score. +7, I've decided, is a great score. I may purchase a bottle of this $500 rye. Listen: there is no logic behind paying that price for a bottle of liquor; you buy it for illogical reasons... and the market. The truth is, if Boss Hog was reasonable at $100-200, it would no longer be on the shelves, and the secondary market would price this at closer to $1000. The price tag keeps the flippers out of it, and makes this available to true fans of rye. But I don't even like rye! It's not logical. But the story about a Pig named Mauve and her love of apples adds to the emotional tug. The Boss Hog series has gotten better and better at balancing out special casks with a pretty solid aged rye. The herbaciousness of the rye is a great backbone for all types of fruits, and the highlight here is apple. You can taste the Calvados influence here. There's caramel apple, apple pie, and even tartness of green appleskins. At the same time, the rye is not lost, and this is truly a perfect marriage. This Boss Hog V is much gentler than Boss Hog IV (The Black Prince), which is a maelstrom of dark fruits and spices. I can actually taste this neat, where I had to add water to the previous two Boss Hogs. To compare it to the two previous Boss Hogs: III (The Independent) at ~$350: Pretty average dram, and definitely not worth it. IV (The Black Prince) at ~$450: Mindblowing, and I bought a bottle without hesitation after trying it. V (Spirit of Mauve) at ~$500: Very good, and I am considering buying a bottle.

Nose: Apple pie, with cinnamon, pastry, mouth watering apples, and even ice cream. Rye is there but as an understatement or base for everything else. Taste: Sweet and hot, pie crust, pepper, nutmeg, cloves, apple skins, chili oil. Experience: Sitting on the back porch with Dave on a summer evening eating hot Apple Pie and ice cream. Perhaps Mauve is sniffing around chomping on the discarded apple cores. Epilogue: This whiskey was morbidly perfect. It is big and bold but equally friendly and complex, just like Dave. It was his favorite yet and comes in a coffin reminding us that while life is sweet it is also fleeting and best when shared with friends and loved ones. Final thoughts: look, no whiskey is "Worth" $400-$500. I bought this for sentimental reasons, I got into whiskey and rye in particular through Whistlepig, I talked with Dave Pickerell and he is a huge inspiration for me. This is a personal whiskey that I bought as a memory and a thank you to the boss hog. Dave's reason for the cost was to keep it from being flipped as anyone with a brain knows it's not worth $500 (his words). "this is something special for the fans" he'd say. unfortunately with his passing the hype has lead to hoarding and flipping, if this is you please open your bottles and share them with friends otherwise you're spitting on what Dave stood for. Buy this or any costly item for the experience, not for the "value".

The nose is immediately a punch of baked apples, cloves, a bit of toffee, and just a hint of rye grassiness in the background. The palate starts out like it’s going to be sweet and friendly. This is immediately followed by a backhand to the face as the friendly notes of apple, caramel, and rye spice are superseded by a deep fiery burn, and unfortunately a strong ethanol note. Overall extremely tasty, extremely hot, and extremely overpriced. I’d pay $125-150 for a bottle, but certainly not $400-600.

Nose is Earthy sweetness, maple, vanilla and ripe fruit. Same hay mow aroma that seems to come through in all the WP offerings. Thick, viscous body carries an incredibly complex blend of flavors. More barrel comes through in this, but it's unbelievable how well balanced and easy to drink it is for its proof Dark, toasted grains, sweetness that lingers and mixes with a bit of barrel char. Long, meandering finish leaves some stickiness on the palate with cobwebs and burnt sugar.

This is an amazing whiskey, but the price is just crazy. Better than the Black Price (the only other Boss Hog release I've tried)... I'd agree with another reviewer who says it's not worth the price premium over the 15 year... also not worth the premium over many of the 10 year store barrels. I'd give it a 4.25 on taste, but knocking it down a bit for the $500 retail. In that range, you're better off looking for some exceptional ryes in the secondary market.

Terrific! Classic nose of mint and fresh dill with notes of ripe yellow pear. On the palate the intensity of the rye increases. Notes of dried hay, red delicious apples, poached pear with soft clove and fresh cinnamon. A long and complex finish keeps me wanting more. This is significantly more complex after being open for a year; WAY too tight right out of the bottle.