The whiskey wash logo
The World's Most-Visited
Whiskey Website
The World's Most-Visited
Whiskey Website

Trending Stories

Search
Canadian

Whiskey Review: WhistlePig Double Malt 18 Year Rye

We review WhistlePig Double Malt 18 Year Rye. It's a rye whiskey that contains both malted rye and malted barley.

OVERALL RATING

9
$399.00
Like Conversation
WhistlePig Double Malt 18 Year Rye Whiskey (image via Suzanne Bayard)

Tasting Notes

About:

Aged 18 years in new oak, 46% ABV, mash bill: 79% rye, 15% malted rye, 6% malted barley, SRP $399/ 750ml bottle.
Appearance:
In the glass, this is moderate golden amber with a yellow-green undertone.
Nose:
There’s a subtly to the opening aromatics. It first shows hints of nail polish and shoe polish, suggestive of a faint yet controlled oxidation. These more chemical notes recede with air and develop into notes of toasted walnuts, baseball glove, and lightly toasted rye bread. There’s a floral quality reminiscent of fresh lychee and dandelions. I can detect notes of caramel popcorn, tangerine peels, and cherry pits. There are layers of aromatics that develop over time, which is quite impressive.
Palate:
The whiskey is silky and delicate on the palate, seeming to evaporate on the tongue. There’s a gentle astringent character to palate, which gives it a suggestion of texture. In the mouth, the aromas are sweet and floral, with a spiciness that builds on the palate into waves of star anise, cinnamon, and white pepper. The finish, though not long lasting, shows notes of roasted corn, red cherries, vanilla marshmallows, and candy corn. Water opens up the aromatics into rose petals and freshly baked pumpernickel.
Finish:
Comments:
I wanted an aha moment like I had had with the 10 Year, but this never seemed to cross over into profound in my blind tasting line up. This is certainly more nuanced than its younger brother, but worth the price jump? I’m not completely convinced. I was extremely impressed by the mouthfeel and delicate layers of aromatics, but I would have liked more length to the finish. Give this time in the glass to open up. This is one to savor.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Suzanne Bayard

Suzanne Bayard struck out to the West Coast with her now husband almost a decade ago to explore the intersection of wine and policy in its world-class wine regions. She manages a Portland, OR bottle shop by day as the wine buyer and newsletter editor. She is also the Director of the Deep Roots Coalition, an organization of 30 Willamette Valley wineries that educate on and promote dry farming and sustainable practices. She joined the Whiskey Wash to explore two other passions: writing and whiskey.

All Posts

Latest On The Whiskey Wash

The whiskey wash logo