Whistlepig PiggyBack Alfa Romeo F1 Team G-Force Finished Single Barrel Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $45

- 96.77 Proof

- NAS

- Vermont & Canada

Okay, so this is kind of a weird one.  And, while clearly gimmicky, it went so weird that I just had to try it. Luckily the price made it easy to do a bit of experimenting. And, apparently, experimenting is what this bottle is all about. 

First, this is one of the more unique finishes I've seen, as it was finished in lychee and tea barrels.  I'm not going to lie, I had to Google "lychee."  I had zero frame of reference here, and I've never had what is apparently a sweet and floral tropical fruit. And it's still unclear to me whether there are two separate finishes here (lychee and tea) that were then blended together, or whether the barrel previously held lychee and tea together. Either way, it was a unique finish, and on top of that, while finishing, the barrels were subjected to G-forces.  I'm not sure exactly how, but I just imagine the barrels being strapped to the back of an F1 car on a loop track for days on end. Probably not what happened here, but the bottle doesn't give me much more to work with. 

I popped the cork and I was immediately hit with a bubble gum note. This was like those Double Bubbles that used to disappoint me when I went trick or treating as a kid. Or, like the artificial bubble gum flavoring of bubble gum soda (as opposed to organic bubble gum, I guess???).  Remember Hubba Bubba Bubblegum Soda?  Well, I do, and this smelled like that!  I tried to find other notes, but really this just smelled like bubblegum. Already one of the weirdest whiskey experiences I've had, and I hadn't even tasted it yet.

But, not surprisingly, it tasted like . . . bubblegum.  At least there were other flavors to go along with, however, including bright strawberry and raspberry notes.  This was incredibly fruit forward, and it was all bright, sweet berry notes.

On the back end the tea notes came through, more prominently than expected, actually. They provided a bit of an earthy note that gave an interesting contrast. I did get some traditional rye notes, including a light minty flavor, as well as a bit of a cinnamon spice on the finish. Those notes, however, were easily overpowered by the strong, fruity bubblegum note that dominated throughout.

This was a weird whiskey, no doubt about it. As weird as it was, though, the consensus from everyone who tried it was that it was "not bad" to "good."  Good for what it was, anyway. Interestingly, I did find myself from time to time in the mood for this bubblegum whiskey, and when in that mood I found I really enjoyed it, weirdness and all.

Grade: B

Very Olde St. Nick Ancient Cask 8 Year Canadian Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $150

- 86.8 Proof

- 8 years

- Lot #16

- Canada

This is one of my first forays into Preservation Distillery's offerings. I had seen them floating around social media for quite a while, new revivals of old brands. They come with higher age statements, great looking packaging that reminds one of other very sought after whiskeys, and, of course a great story/label that uses words like "ancient cask" and "legendary rye."

But, what's hidden on the back is something I should have looked at before I made this purchase -- "Product of Canada."  This is a low proof, 8 year Canadian whiskey.  That doesn't exactly command the premium price that I paid back in 2020.  I made the mistake of getting excited over seeing these bottles hit Illinois shelves for the first time and not bothering to do my research. But, despite the wind being taken out of my sails, I figured at that point I had already bought it, I might as well drink it!

The nose was a healthy dose of cinnamon and sawdust. It had that light, woody smell that you get when working with a table saw.  It also had sweet bready notes that reminded me of Hawaiian rolls and even at times glazed donuts.  The long and short of it is it was very sweet with a bit of cinnamon.

On the palate it was also very sweet, but it was more of a brown sugar sweetness that dominated, and it told me fairly quickly that this was indeed a Canadian whiskey.  There was also a layer of vanilla underneath the brown sugar sweetness that gave it a bit of a dessert quality. Unfortunately, for me, it just leaned too sweet and I had a hard time getting past it.

I did get some other, more interesting notes, including the cinnamon that I was getting of the nose. That mostly came through on the back-end, and it was unfortunately fairly fleeting. I also got a bit of a cayenne note that added just a touch of spice.  That too was fleeting.

On the finish I was left with those sweet, bready notes coupled with the ever-present brown sugar. The finish was short-lived, though, disappearing on me almost immediately.

This bottle just didn't offer much more for me than standard fare Canadian whiskey. And every time I drank it and thought about the price, I just got angry. There is a reason these bottles just sit on shelves now. This was one-dimensional, overly sweet and way overpriced.

Grade: D

WhistlePig Piggy Back Legends Series Brothers Osborne 6 Year Single Barrel Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $55

- 96.56 Proof

- 6 Years

- Canada

It wasn't too long ago I got invited to a buddy's house to do a whiskey tasting.  Little did I know when I accepted the invite that the tasting would include 9 different WhistlePig single barrels! The other eight were all single barrel picks of regular WhistlePig, but this particular barrel of Piggy Back was also in the mix, and I enjoyed it so much I found myself picking up a bottle the next day.

Admittedly, I had no clue at the time who Brothers Osborne was. I had to look it up, and when I learned they were country music artists, it made all the more sense why I had no idea who they were. That said, they got their name associated with a single barrel of WhistlePig Piggy Back, along with the tag of "Legends Series." Good on them!

The nose was great! I got a lot of those notes I typically associate with a rye, including cinnamon and pine as well as a touch of spearmint. I also got some sweet vanilla bean notes that provided a great, softer note. It also gave it a sweetness to help offset some of the spice I was getting. 

When I took my first sip, right up front I got a bunch of brown sugar. It also had a bit of cinnamon spice right on the tip of my tongue, but it came across as almost boozy or syrupy. It almost reminded me of a cinnamon liqueur.  That combination of sweet and spice right up front had me hooked.

Behind that I got a rich and sweet amaretto note. Perhaps it was a bit of a carry-over from that liqueur note I got right up front, but it was unexpected and deliciously welcome. It also had a bit of a coffee note, but a sweetened coffee.  It reminded me of an Irish cream coffee, with good coffee flavor but any bitterness removed.

This whiskey finished with cinnamon spice as well as those sweet brown sugar notes. The light mint I got on the nose finally made its appearance on the finish as well. Interestingly, I got a distinct rosemary note on the finish (a first for me). This was particularly noticeable when I exhaled. It was certainly different, but I enjoyed it.

Overall, this was a really good whiskey at a really good price. I probably wouldn't have grabbed it off the shelf if I hadn't tried it first, but I'm sure that can be said about a lot of whiskeys. Whether you're a fan of Brothers Osborne or not, certainly give this single barrel a try if you come across it. It was really a pleasant surprise.

Grade: B

Copper & Cask The Wry Canadian 15 Year Cognac Cask-Finished Single Barrel Canadian Whisky

VITALS:

- $80

- 118 Proof

- 15 Years

- Canada

This release was certainly an intriguing one to me. I've enjoyed the couple of Copper & Cask single barrel ryes that I've tried so far. However, this release was something much different. The Wry Canadian is a 15 year Canadian whiskey that was aged in a second-use Cognac barrel that had previously been used to age rye. So, it's a well-aged Canadian whisky that is going to have additional influence not only from the Cognac cask, but also from the rye that had previously been aged in the same barrel. 

With all that going on, including the fact that it's a single barrel product bottled at cask strength, the $80 price tag certainly seemed reasonable enough. I don't exactly have my thumb on the Canadian whisky market, but compared to well-aged American whiskey, this would be a steal.

On the nose I got a significant amount of brown sugar. That note completely dominated anything else I was getting.  I did get some other behind-the-scene notes, including a bit of black licorice and even a little bit of cinnamon, but otherwise I might as well have shoved my nose into a cannister of brown sugar.

As to flavor, that brown sugar sweetness was, not unexpectedly, prominent right up front. It hit me as a sweeter whisky right away.  However, at least as to the palate, that brown sugar was accompanied by other notes, one of which was a distinct maple syrup note.  It also had a certain bready quality to it, kind of like a sweet bread along the lines of a King's Hawaiian roll.

On the finish, a great spicy kick seemed to come out of nowhere. It was a great combination of cinnamon and cayenne pepper, providing some heat and a nice tingle on my tongue and the back of my throat. Of course the sweet brown sugar notes remained, but that sweet and spicy balance was really delicious!

In the end, this is still a Canadian whisky, and that brown sugar note is a common theme I tend to find in most Canadian whiskies. I wish the Cognac played more of a role here, but at least the Rye cask had a decent influence, throwing in some nice spice at the end. I don't know that I'd say this was great, but it was worth the price of admission in my mind, as I did really enjoy it.

Grade: B

Crown Royal Noble Collection 16 Year Blended Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $70

- 90 Proof

- 16 Years

- Canada

Admittedly, I don't find myself reviewing too many Canadian whiskies on this blog. Perhaps that's unfair, or perhaps I just haven't found many that have really blown me away. Sure, I've had plenty of good Canadian whiskies. I've had some very good Canadian whiskies. But I just haven't had one yet that, to me anyway, has really knocked it out of the park.

But, when this was released, I found myself drawn to it and knew I'd need to pick up a bottle. While it was a "rare" release, it was relatively easy to find. It was just set out on the shelf, like any other bottle. That said, it didn't make it much past a week before they were all gone. After all, a 16 year old rye for only $70, even if it is Canadian, is a hard one to pass up. Plus, the one rye I have had from Crown Royal, the Northern Harvest Rye, was really good, so I felt pretty confident I wasn't going to be getting a stinker.

The nose was kind of funky.  It had an earthiness to it, almost like an unsalted, toasted peanut note. That was paired with a sweet honey note as well, with a little bit of black pepper spice. On top of all that, I got a distinct oak note, but somehow that oak flavor came across as sweet, almost like it was mixed with a burnt sugar note to have that sweet balancing any bitter notes.

When I took my first sip, the first thing I wrote down was that this had a thin, watery texture, but was absolutely full of flavor. Right up front I got a tangy amaretto note, as well as a healthy amount of brown sugar, a note I tend to get from Canadian whiskies. It had minimal spice, but rather leaned more caramel in flavor, with a rich sweetness.

I also got that earthy note that I was getting on the nose. While the oak came through, there was almost this dank or musty note. Weirdly, though, I liked it. I thought it worked well with the brown sugar and the oak, which again came across sweeter than I'm used to. 

The finish was probably my favorite part. There I got a distinct cherry cordial note, with the cherry and chocolate flavors, as well as that boozy quality, which I particularly noticed on the finish as I exhaled. I also got this sort of cream soda flavor, particularly on later pours, that I really enjoyed and wish I had found throughout.  

This was a fun bottle, and I ended up liking it way more than I thought I would. It was certainly a different rye, probably due in part to not only the age, but also the location of the aging, that gave some different barrel flavors to the whiskey. I'm so glad I picked this up.

Grade: A-

Preservation Distillery Rare Perfection 14 Year Canadian Whiskey

VITALS:

- $180

- 100.7 Proof

- 14 Years

- Lot #02

- Canada

When Preservation Distillery first released their Rare Perfection and Old St. Nick lines, apparently reviving a couple of older brands, I frequently saw these bottles in my various whiskey-related Facebook groups. I knew nothing about them, but I certainly was intrigued by the cool looking, antique style labeling, not to mention the age statements and the higher proof. I hadn't been seeing any of these in the stores by me, so when I got the chance to buy this and the 15 year at essentially retail, perhaps even less based on what they're being sold for now, I went ahead and pulled the trigger.  Of course now I see them sitting on shelves everywhere, not being bought and just taking up space. 

What I didn't know until these bottles arrived, though, and the reason that these are now just sitting, was that these are Canadian whiskey. Admittedly, I did little to no research prior to purchasing these, which is on me. I do, however, find it interesting that they deliberately left off the word "Canadian" from the front label, only indicating as such in small type on the back. I was immediately disappointed and had a bit of buyer's remorse, but, you live and learn. How bad could it be, though?

The nose on this was actually really good. I got a lot of brown sugar and a light caramel right up front. It also had this sweet cream note to it that reminded me of vanilla ice cream. There was a bready note as well, perhaps like a pie crust. It had all the makings of a good dessert.

As to flavor, though, I felt a bit overwhelmed by the brown sugar flavor. It was easily the most dominant flavor, and any other notes I was getting were slight in comparison. It dominated from the first sip through the finish. That's a lot of brown sugar. And, on top of that, it had a certain artificial flavoring quality to it that I just wasn't a fan of. 

Other notes were there, but, like I said, they were very light in comparison. I did get notes of root beer and at time butterscotch. I even got that pie crust note that I was noticing on the nose. There was even a bit of a molasses note to it, something darker and richer than just that artificial brown sugar. 

However, make no mistake about it, this came across as sweet.  Very sweet.  Overly sweet. And I can handle a brown sugar sweetness, but when it's an artificial sweetness and it's as sweet as this, it just becomes too much. I don't know if artificial brown sugar is a thing, but if it is, this tastes like it had some added directly to the barrel. 

I've had plenty of Canadian whiskeys that leaned toward the brown sugar note, but none that did so quite like this one did. I do have the 15 year, and I will eventually get around to opening that one in hopes for a better experience, but it may take me a while to get around to that.

Grade: C-

Lot No. 40 Binny's Custom Blended Cask Strength Canadian Rye Whisky

VITALS:

- $70

- 114 Proof

- NAS

- 3rd Edition

- Canada

I'm not necessarily a Canadian Rye enthusiast. I've certainly enjoyed plenty a pour of the stuff, from Whistlepig to Collingwood to even regular Lot No. 40.  Admittedly, I've never considered myself a big fan of Canadian rye. To me it has always been on the sweeter side, and I tend to prefer rye for its spiciness. I also find that I frequently get almost an artificial brown sugar note, enough so that it's a flavor I now associate with Canadian ryes.

That said, even though it may not be my most favorite profile, I do actually like regular Lot No. 40 rye. It's softer, for sure, but it generally has good flavor and just a touch of soft spice. So, when I saw a bottle of the Cask Strength on the shelf, the first I've ever come across a bottle, I figured what the hell and grabbed one. The reviews I've read were mixed, but to be fair, those reviews were posted in bourbon groups, so there was no doubt some inherent bias there. I wanted to see for myself just how good the cask strength version is.

On the nose, the first thing I noticed was that brown sugar note. Like I said above, it's kind of an artificial brown sugar. Kind of like brown sugar and peanuts. It also had a rich, earthy molasses type sweetness to it, along with some cinnamon spice. That cinnamon spice actually reminded me of those heavily scented pinecones they sell at the grocery store around Christmas.

The flavor was a bit different than expected, however.  I did get a brown sugar note, but it didn't come across as artificial. In fact, it came across more earthy, like brown sugar and leather. It also came across a bit buttery (at least in flavor, not necessarily in texture).

What struck me most about this was that it had a very rye bread quality to it. The rye was there, but it was almost yeasty, like a good, rich, dark bread. In fact, on later pours it reminded me a lot of a nice thick stout.

The finish had some light wood tannins as well as a warm cinnamon spice. The leather was there on the finish as well, along with a slight smoky note which was quite welcome. This was all well and good, but there was also a strange note that lingered on my tongue for a bit, kind of like orange flavored hard candy.

All in all, this was a good whiskey, albeit a bit odd. However, what was odd about it was actually kind of enjoyable. It was like a dirtier version of a typical Canadian rye, and I mean that in a good way. It may seem odd as you read this. Heck, it seemed odd as I wrote this, but it really was pretty good in its own funky, earthy way. At the very least, it was pretty unique.

Grade: B

Canadian Club Chronicles 41 Year Blended Canadian Whiskey

VITALS:
- $250

- 90 Proof

- 41 Years

- Canada

It's totally a stupid thing, but for quite some time I always had as one of my whiskey bucket-list items to drink a whiskey that was older than me.  I called it a bucket-list item, because for the most part that limited me to single malt Scotches, and it put me into the thousands of dollars for a bottle. It was honestly just something fun to consider but nothing I really thought I'd ever get the chance to do.

Then Canadian Club came out with Chronicles - a 41 year Canadian whiskey (I was 39 at the time) to which small amounts of Cognac, rye and sherry had been added. So it wasn't necessarily a "straight whiskey," having these additives. But, what it did have was a fairly reasonable and certain attainable price point and availability. Even then I wasn't necessarily sold, but when I got a very nice bonus at work, I yielded and decided to treat myself, and to check off that bucket-list item.

The nose in this was both sweet and bitter. It had a bright, jammy raspberry note to it, but also had that accompanying tartness of fresh raspberries. I also got notes of vanilla and peach, and it reminded me a bit of a fruit tart in that respect. However, there was also this sort of grassy, straw-like note, a bit of earthiness to keep it from getting too crazy.

As for flavor, the first thing I noticed was the sherry. I have no idea how much sherry had been added, but that raspberry-esque flavor I so often associate with sherry finished whiskeys was up front and center.  

Once I got past the initial sherry hit, though, I got more confectionary flavors, like a smooth caramel that was mixed with a bit of burnt orange and even cooked peach. It almost took on a cobbler-type flavor. It even had a good buttery flavor to it to kind of round it all out.

On the back end I got the slightest amount of wood.  I really expected a lot more. In fact, given the very light straw color of this whiskey and the lack of significant wood influence, I would never in a million years have guessed this was aged for 41 years. The finish also hit me with a distinct note of unsweetened peach tea. It was bitter, but had just a little bit of sweet brightness added by the peach.

Unfortunately, throughout each sip I took I did get a consistent note that did put me off a bit. It was a fake sugary flavor, almost like artificial maple syrup and brown sugar, the same type of flavor you get from similarly flavored oatmeal packets. While I like it just fine in oatmeal, it didn't work for me in whiskey, and it was just always kind of there.

Overall, I love that I got to drink a whiskey that was older than I am, and that I was able to do so without absolutely killing my budget. However, when the 42 year is released, and each subsequent release thereafter comes out, I don't see myself opening up my wallet to get a bottle. This one served its purpose.

Grade: B-

Jefferson's 10 Year Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:
- $45
- 94 Proof
- 10 Years
- Batch No. 63
- Canada

Well-aged ryes seem to be harder and harder to come by, and Jefferson's rye, which is now out of production, seems to be a symbol of this trend. After all, this 10-year rye at one point offered a well-aged rye at a decent price-point.  Good luck finding this old of a rye at this price today. As was the case with this bottle, the only way to land one is on the secondary market.

Jefferson's is a non-distilling producer, or NDP, however, meaning they don't produce their own whiskey, but rather select and bottle whiskey sourced from other producers. This particular whiskey, which is a 100% rye mashbill, is sourced from Alberta Distillers in Canada (despite the very patriotic branding with the Jefferson name, the profile of Jefferson himself and the arch of stars half-circling him on the bottle).

Nonetheless, I was eager to try something that, in all likelihood, I'll never try again. Interestingly, as I opened this one up, I noticed that the cork was loose, as though it had contracted a bit. The bottle did not show signs of any evaporation, and as I pulled it off the bottom of the court made a tight seal. I did some very brief research on the web and found a few other mentions of this phenomenon. I'm not really sure what to make of it.

The nose is soft, almost floral in nature. It has hints of cinnamon and pine, but not necessarily the spice that usually accompanies those flavors. Just mild versions of those flavors, and with little to no burn.

On the palate, this whiskey is smooth and sweet. It primarily has notes of caramel and vanilla, but also has that pine flavor from the nose. The pine, though light, adds an interesting tang to the mix. Cinnamon comes in late on the back end, but while all the other flavors fade away, the cinnamon flavor seems to stick around forever.

As I made my way through this bottle, I found it to be incredibly easy to drink. It is certainly inoffensive, and delicious enough to keep me going right back to this bottle pour after pour. Later pours revealed the lightest of wood tones that weren't present initially. This turned that cinnamon flavor into more of an earthy note, like a cinnamon stick.

I also picked up a bot of orange peel in the mix. I didn't get this note all the time, but when I did notice it, it provided a welcome and delicious mix of sweet and bitter that had me wishing that it was just a bit more prevalent.

Overall, this was a relatively simple, yet delicious rye. I went into it with hopes that it would blow me away, and it didn't quite do that. Perhaps that's a bit unfair to set the bar that high, but I really had this hyped in my head that it was going to be spectacular, and while it was very good, I just wouldn't go that far.

Grade: B

Basil Hayden's Dark Rye

VITALS:
- $50
- 80 Proof
- NAS
- Kentucky/Canada

Okay, let me start off by saying that I'm generally not much of a fan of Basil Hayden's bourbon. The time I tried it way back when, it just didn't do much for me at all, and the brand has been off my radar since then. Beam then released the Basil Hayden's Rye, and given my prior experience with Basil Hayden's, as well as the fact that the rye wasn't very well received, it remained off my radar.

However, the Basil Hayden's Dark Rye, a 2017 release, caught my attention primarily due to what it is. In fact, going in, based on the description, I wasn't certain it would be good at all and thought there was a decent chance of it being awful. After all, the Dark Rye is Kentucky straight rye whiskey that is blended with Canada rye whiskey (perhaps the Alberta dark rye?). As if that weren't enough, they also blended it with port. So, unlike so many of the port-finished ryes that are out there, this was not finished in port barrels, but actually had the port added directly to the blend.

Accordingly, this kind of a cocktail rather than a rye (blended or not), although the amount of port is certainly minimal compared what a normal mixer in a cocktail might be. Per the bottle, they add "just a touch" of port. The result is, as expected, a very dark whiskey, with substantial red hues.

The nose is rich and fruity, definitely showing off the added port. The fruit note is lighter than expected, taking on a significant cherry quality. The low proof leaves zero burn on the nose, and what's left is delicious, warm and inviting.

Going in for my first sip, I held no expectations. I knew this was not going to taste like any rye I've had before, and I wasn't expecting it to. I went in open-minded, just hoping I liked it, and I was very pleasantly surprised. If I had any expectations, this would have exceeded them.

This is one of the best combinations of sweet and spicy I've ever tasted from a bottle. The sweet obviously comes from the port, which contributed rich and long-lasting flavors of plum and dark cherry. The velvety texture (I expected it to come across as more watered down) allowed these flavors to completely coat the mouth and seemingly linger forever. There was also an underlying unsweetened vanilla note that balanced perfectly with the port.  Towards the back end it had a nice, nutty note, like walnut, that worked really well with the vanilla and even light caramel notes to underscore the dominant port notes.

This really is a delicious pour that from the first sip reminded me of Thanksgiving. In fact, I first opened this bottle just before Thanksgiving, and it was my drink of choice for our first Thanksgiving celebration with some of our former neighbors (who also really enjoyed this!). It is sweet, but not too sweet, and is really a dangerous pour due to just how easy it is to drink. I found myself working through this bottle faster than I had ever intended.

Although it's certainly different, and far from a traditional rye, the Basil Hayden's Dark Rye makes no bones about what it is, and if you can get past the fact that it has the port directly added, certainly give this a try. It was surprisingly incredibly tasty.

Grade: A-