Whistle Pig Rye
If you browse the website for Whistle Pig Straight Rye, you will find an interview between Master Sommelier Fernando Beteta and Master distiller Dave Pickerell. In that interview Dave mentions that when he started the Whistle Pig project, the intent was to find out what a true rye, a 100% rye, can taste like. Admittedly, we here at DrinkGal have a tendency to enjoy rye more than other whiskey types, but to hear that this is a 100% rye that has been awarded the highest rating ever given to a whiskey (96 points!) by Wine Enthusiast Magazine… excited doesn’t cover how we felt to get a bottle.
Pickerell, as some of you might know, worked for Makers Mark for 14 years, establishing himself as a Master Distiller and a heavy hitter in the spirits world. He left in 2008 to focus (we can only assume) on Whistle Pig, which was already in the works up in Shoreham, Vermont. Founder Raj Peter Bhakta had bought the farm (I know, we couldn’t resist) in 2006, and the first bottles came out of Whistle Pig Farm this summer (2010). A restoration project is also under way at the farm, and they plan to grow organic rye to use in future batches.
The whiskey is a what Dave calls a “perfect combination of proof, purity, and age.” At 100 proof, 100% rye, and aged ten years, this is what he thinks is the perfect balance of what rye should be. It appears that the rest of the world agrees with him, given the high acclaim and attention this little whiskey is getting. Enthusiasts everywhere are lining up to snatch up a bottle, and the buzz has been palpable.
There is bad news, however. This year’s release was only 1,000 cases and distribution only went to New York, San Fransisco and Chicago, with a few bottles being at online retailers. As of publication of this article, you can still get the stuff on DrinkUpNY.com, providing your state allows for alcohol to be shipped into it, but once it’s gone, it’s gone.
How did we get our bottle here in the ridiculously restrictive and suppressed-with-insane-liquor-laws Washington State?
We are SO not telling.
Tasting Notes
We’ll save you the suspense, this is a delicious whiskey and it has earned it’s accolades. But how does it taste? Here’s the rundown:
Nose, WhistlePig is spicy and gingery, with notes of anise and orange peel. Those are accompanied with the usual suspects of whiskey, oak, caramel and honey, with a touch of butter and brown sugar.
Palate: Lots of vanilla, with hints of toffee and a touch of mint. A nice finish that sticks with you, but it still clean and uncluttered.
Recipes
Whistle Pig is (obviously) great choice for any rye cocktail that needs the base liquor’s characteristics to show through (i.e. a Manhattan). we have just a few here, including the classic Manhattan for you to try. If you are truly a whiskey lover however, just sip this with some water or neat… you won’t be disappointed!
White Christmas
This one was created right here at DrinkGal.com
1 oz. Whistle Pig Rye
1 oz. St Germain Elderflower liqueur
3 dashes Old Fashioned bitters
2 dashes Scrappy’s Cardamom bitters
2 oz. Hoegaarden or other white beer
Stir all ingredients except beer over ice, strain into cocktail glass. Top with beer, stir gently and serve with an orange twist.
Sazerac
A New Orleans Classic
3 oz Whistle Pig Rye whiskey
½ oz simple syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
½ oz absinthe
Coat the glass with absinthe, pour out the excess. Shake first four ingredients in a shaker and strain into glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Manhattan
2 1/2 oz. Whistle Pig Rye
1 oz sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.
Cheers!
For those of you who love a good story, be sure to click on the link on WhistlePigWhiskey.com that explains how the whiskey got it’s name… It’s a strange little story that sticks with you!
