WhistlePig The Boss Hog V: The Spirit of Mauve
Specs
ABV: 58.8%
Age: 13 Years
Recipe: 95% rye, 5% malted barley, finished in ex-Calvados casks
Distiller: MGP
Country/Region: USA/Indiana
Price Paid (MSRP): N/A ($480)
Tasting Notes
Nose: Dark oak and barrel char notes, cinnamon, green apples, pear, brown sugar, rye spice, mint and pine. A lovely nose that does a great job of integrating the Calvados notes with the whiskey.
Palate: Thick, viscous mouth feel with pleasant tannins, cinnamon spice, heavy oak, and tons of baked apple. Maple syrup, allspice, clove and orange peel. This Boss Hog drinks at or slightly below its proof and is definitely less aggressive than the 13 year WhistlePig pick I reviewed recently.
Finish: Long length, brown sugar syrup, tannic oak, minimal apple, herbal with more mint, moderately drying.
Rating: 89/100 – Excellent | Really quite exceptional
A terrific marriage of fruity Calvados barrels with an older, darker rye. The cask finish does a lot to brighten the whiskey, imbuing it with lighter green apple and pear notes, while maintaining its mature profile. It’s masterfully executed, but unfortunately I’m just not finding enough of a wow factor here to justify the price tag, especially after having tasted the more unique teakwood finish of Boss Hog VII. At this price point I’m expecting more, and The Spirit of Mauve just barely beats out some of the better 8-10 year MGP rye selections I’ve tasted, at roughly five times the cost.
