High West Yippee Ki-Yay Batch 18c27, 46%
Nose: Sweet vermouth, clove, dill, red berries, vanilla and honey, rye spice
Palate: Thick and syrupy, rich dark fruits: Luxardo cherries, strawberries and raspberries, more honey sweetness, mint, cinnamon and rye spices with some dill appearing on the back end
Finish: Medium length, more of the same but with lingering menthol
Rating: 72/100 – Great | Well above average
A unique pour, even among finished ryes. Yippee Ki-Yay has tons of dark fruit notes and funk from the wine casks, along with a pervasive menthol note. With this level of finishing, it reads more similarly to a high proof cocktail than a whiskey and I think that’s part of the charm. I wish it wasn’t being discontinued, but there are still plenty of Double Rye! store picks around at a similar level of quality and a better price point.
Additional Info: A blend of straight rye whiskeys aged from 2 to 16 years finished in Vermouth and Syrah wine barrels. This particular batch consists of:
- 95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP
- 53% rye, 37% corn, 10% barley from Barton
- 80% Rye, 20% malted rye from High West
