High West Yippie Ki-Yay Whiskey was a blend of straight rye whiskies from High West, Barton 1792 and MGP, aged between two and 16 years and finished in vermouth and Syrah barrels. Mash bills included 95% rye and 5% malted barley from MGP; 53% rye, 37% corn and 10% malted barley from Barton 1792; and 80% rye and 20% malted barley from High West, with proportions undisclosed. The whiskey was bottled at 46% ABV and produced in Indiana, Kentucky and Utah. Its hosts a suggested retail price of $79.99.
That said, the whiskey is lots of fun, and as I said, unusual and unique stuff — not what I was expecting but interesting enough to sip on for quite a while. Yippee Ki-Yay, indeed!
The palate is a bit thin up front, before opening up with baked apple and cherry pies, the sugary dried fruits of trail mix, and brandied cocktail cherries.
Aging their unique blend of rye whiskies in wine barrels gave it a plethora of fresh, fruity, floral notes from the Vermouth and Syrah that might actually have you shouting “Yippee Ki-Yay” when you sip it!
It’s fine, but this would definitely be better as its own cocktail or a component in another. The rye and vermouth prove worthy partners, and the Syrah is totally absent.
