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High West A Midwinter Nights Dram Act 13 Review

What happens when Utah's innovative distillery finishes its rye blend in Port barrels? High West's most sought-after seasonal expression delivers magic in a bottle.

OVERALL RATING

7
$125
  • Charles Steele is an attorney and whiskey enthusiast with a penchant for the peculiar.
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Tasting Notes

About:

High West, the Utah-based distillery’s seasonal offering builds on its flagship Rendezvous Rye, a blend of straight rye whiskeys aged between four and ten years. Act 13 undergoes additional maturation in Ruby and Tawny Port barrels, creating what has become the distillery’s most sought-after expression since the series began.

The whiskey combines two distinct mash bills: a 95% rye, 5% barley malt whiskey from MGP and an 80% rye, 20% malted rye from High West’s own distillery. Bottled at 98.6 proof without chill filtration, the exact ratio remains proprietary.

High West, founded in 2006, operates Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870. The company gained prominence for its innovative blending techniques and was acquired by Constellation Brands in 2016. A Midwinter Night’s Dram debuted in 2013, drawing its name from Shakespeare’s comedy about transformation and magic.
Appearance:
Tawny
Nose:
Christmas spices, red plums, alcohol, rye grain, red wine, bubble gum, and young oak.
Palate:
Light charcoal, rye berries, red peppercorns, raisin, red fruit preserves/jam. A touch of oak underlines the entire dram.
Finish:
Watery mouthfeel, just a touch of jam at the back end of the finish. It is of a medium length tending toward the short. There is a rye ‘pop’ and alcohol ester expression right at the back most end of the drink.
Comments:
I am an enormous fan of Midwinter and High West. I have several previous expressions of this whiskey and they never disappoint. While some years are certainly better than others, they are always unique and fun. The rye whiskey finished in Port cask creates a fun dram that is certain to please your friends.

I’d gladly share this glass at the start of a night to really stretch the palate before diving into different whiskey. This year especially is more rye forward when compared to previous expressions, so the spicey body of the whiskey will get you going!

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.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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