Editor’s Note: We received a review sample of this whiskey from the brand. However, in accordance with our editorial policies, this has not influenced the outcome of our review in any way.
Utah’s High West Distillery, founded in 2006, can claim to be one of the United States’ older craft distilleries. Initially located in a “historic livery stable and garage” and distilling off of a small, 250-gallon still (and doing a lot of sourcing), High West has found substantial success over the years with its whiskey releases while growing in its home state to become a major tourist attraction with multiple locations and much higher-volume spirits distilling output via a much more advanced equipment set-up.
One major key to High West’s success is its blending skill set. Over the years, its team has developed a number of well-respected products, often focused on sourced bourbon or rye blends, though sometimes the two end up in the same bottling as well. More recently, it has been releasing whiskeys distilled in-house, but the sourced component remains a good share of the business as well.
What’s in the bottle
This review focuses on High West Bourye 2024, a limited-edition annual release combining a “premium” blend of bourbon and rye whiskeys. It was originally released as a Utah-only offering for this year, though it has trickled around to places online outside of that state as well.
For 2024, the blend inside Bourye includes straight rye and bourbon whiskeys aged at least ten years. MGP (95% rye, 5% barley malt) and High West (80% rye, 20% malted rye) represent the straight rye side. In comparison, on the straight bourbon side, you find MGP (75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley malt) and an undisclosed Kentucky distillery (8% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley).
This whiskey, which is non-chill filtered and has no flavor added, is bottled at 46% ABV and priced at $124.99.
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