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Whiskey Review: WhistlePig Boss Hog V: The Spirit of Mauve

We review WhistlePig Boss Hog V: The Spirit of Mauve, a 13 year old straight rye whiskey finished in ex-Calvados casks that will run you around $500 a bottle.

OVERALL RATING

7
$500.00
  • Carin Moonin is a Portland-based whiskey enthusiast and writer.
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Tasting Notes

About:

119 proof, 13 years old, finished in ex-Calvados casks; around $500 per 750 ml bottle
Appearance:
Tawny. Shiny. The color of liquid gold. At that price, maybe more expensive than the metal itself.
Nose:
Deep and rich. Unsurprisingly, there are apples, but not like fresh pples, more like cooked apples in a savory dish. It also brings up the flavors that go along with apples –cinnamon, ginger. Also peaches. I also got Nilla wafers, and hay.
Palate:
It’s smooth but finishes effervescent and cinnamon-forward. A little hot, actually. The spice of rye prickles your lips. It’s high-proof and doesn’t pretend it isn’t. If you get involved in a conversation and then come back to your glass, it does mellow and picks up more complexity, but it’s still a bruiser. I feel like with rye, it’s either chewy or spicy. This is firmly in Camp Spicy.
Finish:
Comments:
I wish I hadn’t known the price before I tasted this, because I’ll admit that colored my thoughts. Is any whiskey worth $500? I’m not sure. I’d say this one isn’t. It tastes more like a $100 bottle—and that’s a compliment! In my opinion, for $500 a whiskey should take me from appetizer to entrée to dessert (to maybe even a nightcap somewhere a little more comfortable), like a grown-up version of Violet Beauregard’s gum.

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.

Carin Moonin

Carin Moonin swapped a 5th-floor walkup in Hoboken, NJ, for a house in SE Portland a decade ago and hasn't looked back. She appreciates Portland's vibrant whiskey scene, finding it complements both the weather and her mood. Carin enjoys exploring the diverse world of brown liquor and its many facets. Her writing has been featured in publications such as Salon.com, DailyDot.com, Willamette Week, Portland Monthly, and others. When she's not indulging in whiskey or writing about it, you can find Carin running, reading, or on the hunt for free samples in grocery stores.

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