WhistlePig 10 Year Old Straight Rye Whiskey

WhistlePig is a distillery based in Vermont that, before they started making their own whisky, bottled 100% Canadian rye from Alberta Distillers. Otherwise, to be honest, I don't know much about WhistlePig. I vaguely remember tasting this at WhiskyFest in NYC a few years ago. This sample comes to me generously from @paddockjudge.

The colour is a light coppery gold. Floral on the nose, with fresh raspberries, chili powder, wood smoke, cardamom and a very light shade of mint. Candied orange peel. Eucalyptus, Green apple. The fruit is in the background, behind the floral, herbal notes - but water tames that a little bit. Not bad but a bit too perfumed for me.

On the palate, it's very, um, perfumey with more green apple, furniture polish, toasted oak and light honey. Rye spice and caraway are the dominant notes here, overpowering the more subtle fruity notes. Too much FWP though, that overpowers the palate, although water tames that overpowering, decadent flavour.

The long, developing finish is quite fruity (berries, orange) with anise and pine. Although for me it is simply too strong and overpowering with the floral rye notes, I detect and appreciate the oak and fruity notes behind it. Water really helps but nevertheless it requires a bit more balance for me to really enjoy it.