The Basics:

High West Distillery - blend of High West and MGP straight ryes

103.6 proof

Aged 2-7 years - finished in Syrah barrels for 9 months

Frugal MacDoogal Store Pick

$50 MSRP

Nose:

Apple, caramel, toffee, mint, black pepper, cantaloupe, orange peel, and plum

Palate:

Raw walnuts, tangerine, apple, mint, and cantaloupe 

Dark chocolate covered blueberries

Finish:

Wine makes itself known, grape, slight mint, plum, cloves, leather, and lemon peel

Black cherry Warheads tartness on sides of your tongue

Final Thoughts:

Wine finished whiskies can go either way for me. Generally, a wine finished bourbon becomes too sweet as the dark fruit notes of the wine clash with the sweetness of the bourbon. In this case, the dark fruit notes coming from the Syrah barrel complement the mint and spice notes from the rye. This single barrel pick is a winner in my book, and the iridescent bottle makes it stand out in any collection!