Vermont's WhistlePig Single Cask Rye 11 Year Old “Rutland Barrel”
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WhistlePig Single Cask Rye 11 Year Old “Rutland Barrel” 56.9%, €490 from the Single Malt Shop.
(Volume 1 in "The Library Series”)
In the first of a collection of five single cask bottlings from the WhistlePig Distillery in Vermont, comes Volume 1 in "The Library Series." "Produced to celebrate the ultimate in aged Rye whiskey, each annual edition comes in a leather bound Encyclopedia so that with every Volume, the collector will be building their own library."
Volume 1 was aged for 11 years in virgin American Oak and was named "Rutland Barrel" in honour of a local Vermont township. Every other Volume will also carry that feature.
This 11-year old whiskey comes into your glass with a warm and deep amber hue. On the nose there’s sweetness and distinct mint notes. The palate is complex, built on a sweet caramel foundation; spice too of course as you’d expect from the rye.
The toffee and spice stay right through the lingering finish, right down to a prickly pear back note. I didn’t notice that on the first swallow but there’s so much going on in this hyper-local whiskey that, like the whiskey itself, the drinker needs more time. A fantastic tribute to the qualities of rye and indeed to the man, the late Dave Pickerell, that brought it all together with his team in Vermont.
A few years ago at the tiny Micil Distillery in Galway, Pádraic Ó Griallais told me the three conditions needed to become a proper drinker: É a ioc, é a ól, é a iompar (Pay for it; drink it; carry it.) When it comes to the Rutland Barrel, I could well fall at the the first! Still, very glad I got my chance to sample it.
As this has a 56.9% ABV, the advice is to use a drop of water. I’m always amazed at how well, and consistently, that wee drop does its job. Here the water opens it up beautifully, revealing more of its soft mint notes not to mention the toffee apple as layer after layer of tempting flavours and aromas drift in.
The entire Vermont project was initially commenced under the late Dave Pickerell's stewardship. Known worldwide as the Founding Father of the American Craft Distilling Movement, Dave was master distiller and blender in WhistlePig before he sadly passed away in 2018. Together with his colleague Pete Lynch, who has become his successor, he decided that they needed to set aside some of their precious rye stocks and allow them additional ageing and care.
But before that, in 2007, a group of people decided to buy a farm in the idyllic surroundings of Shoreham, Vermont. Inspired by the wonderful nature all around them, they started conjuring up plans of making a hyper local Vermont whiskey.
In 2015, it all became a reality when Pickerell ran their first distillation in a copper still he specifically made and customized for them. His WhistlePig mantra was soon born, “Our grain. Our water. Our wood. We call it the Triple Terroir."
After a meticulous cask selection, they settled on virgin American Oak with the sole aim of capturing the very essence of rye whiskey. As one of the final projects for Dave to have worked on, The Library Series stands out as one of the last opportunities to embrace his remarkable legacy. And with the whiskey itself bottled at the cask strength of 56.9% ABV, this is rye that is not just supremely crafted, but captured in its purest form. It is available exclusively from The Single Malt Shop.
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Method and Madness Rye and Malt 46%, 700ml bottle, RRP €95.00
Just thought I‘d try a drop of this local whiskey with the WhistlePig. And the Rye here introduced itself immediately with clove and spice on the nose. The malt led on the toasty palate, a peppery spice also. And spice still there through to the finish, the perfect balance tellingly and delightfully illustrated from start to finalé.
The mini-tasting started with the Rye and Malt but the Midleton bottle wasn’t exactly in the same league when the Vermont came onstage. That probably had something to do with expectations. When the Vermont had sadly departed, the Method and Madness, this time, with a drop or two of the “magic” water, was competitive, maybe not in the same division but perhaps a cup upset could be on the cards from an accomplished underdog.
Bottled at 46% ABV, the limited-edition Method and Madness Rye and Malt Irish Whiskey is available in Ireland, the UK, Dublin Airport and online at the RRP of €95.
Double distilled in ex Bourbon casks.
Non chilled filtered.
The Method and Madness Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lemon Balm, Floral Lavender, Clove Spice
Taste: White Pepper, Chilli Flakes, Toasted Wood
Finish: Fading Fruits, Lingering Spice, Cereal Malt & Barley
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