High West Binny's Barrel Select Double Rye! Blended Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Cognac Barrels

VITALS:

- $70

- 105.4 Proof

- Finished 15 mos.

- Barrel #25202

- Utah

There once was a time that I was snatching up every single High West Barrel Select that I could find. It seemed as though they were producing winner after winner of finished rye in all sorts of creative casks. Of course some were amazing and some were decent, but they all were good. 

It had been a while since I had seen any of the Double Rye! barrel selects, so when this Cognac finish hit Binny's, I made it a point to grab one. It's a combination that has worked so many times in the past that I figured I couldn't really go wrong. Unfortunately, for the first time out of the probably dozens of High West Barrel Selects I've tried, this one fell flat.  

The nose came off as vibrant and fruity. I got notes of melon and honeydew. There was also kind of a fresh pear note.  It also had a significant sweetness to it, kind of like a honey note. What I didn't get, though, and what I expected, were some of the traditional rye notes.  I got no spice, no mint, no pine. Quite frankly, from the nose it seemed as though the finish really took over.

The flavor likewise came off as sweet, and, perhaps given those fruit notes from the nose, a bit "young."  I always find what I call an overripe apple note in young craft whiskeys, and that's what I was getting here.  It's always been a bit of an off-putting note to me. 

The sweetness was that same honey note I got from the nose, and the pear note really took over as well. it was kind of like a fruit cocktail, but made with fruits like honeydew, melon and pear, rather than your usual oranges, pineapples and cherries. While that sounds good as a fruit cocktail, I wasn't a fan of it as a whiskey.

What was interesting is that those rye notes that I was missing on the nose finally made their appearance, but really only on the finish. It was there that I got a bit of spice, kind of like a hot pepper spice rather than the usual cinnamon notes. There was also a sweet minty note that balanced out that spice. The finish was actually quite enjoyable, and I just wish what I was getting there had been present throughout.

I don't know if the finish was too long or what, but this is the first time I can recall one of these single barrels falling flat. It just didn't really do it for me, and I hope this isn't a sign of some downward trend.

Grade: C