WhistlePig 12 Year Old World Cask Finished “Bespoke Blend”

WhistlePig 12 year Rye Old World Cask Finished “Bespoke Blend” is a mouthful of a name, but how does a sip of it fare?

WhistlePig sourced this rye from Indiana (so, MGPI) and aged it for 12 years.  This particular bottle is the “Bespoke Blend” of Old World Cask Finished juice with 10% from Madeira, 20% from French Sauternes and 70% from Port casks.  This particular bottle is a store pick from Gordon’s Wine. While I like finished rye, historically I have not been a big fan of WhistlePig, mostly due to the premium pricing, and I tend to not buy a lot of MGPI whiskey.  Let’s see how this goes…

ABV: 43%

How it smells…Vanilla up front with stone fruits including peaches and apricots.  A hint of strawberry and some dustiness.

How it tastes…Light vanilla at the start followed by backing spices including cinnamon, allspice and clove.  You get some honied oak towards the end with a lingering peppery spiciness and a dusty note that dries your mouth out a little at the finish.

Price...I bought this bottle for $100, but I believe it was initially marked at $115.

Rating...🥃🥃🥃

Final thoughts…Overall, I really liked this WhistlePig.  Initially, I purchased this bottle for a friend who really enjoys ryes.  He thought it was great so I ended up picking up a bottle for myself.  The triple digit price tag may be steep but for an aged rye, it is not outrageous.  It is a well rounded and smooth sip throughout.  I would have expected to get more raisin & dates given the heavy port finish, but the finishing added some nice mouthfeel, especially since it’s an MGP rye, which I tend to find thin.  Given the price, it’s probably not an every day drinker, but a nice bottle to have on your shelf if your rye loving friends come visit.  A note on the “dusty” description, I don’t mean this in a bad way, it actually adds some additional character.