High West Bottled-in-Bond Rye is distilled at High West Distillery in Utah. It follows the standards of the Bottled-in-Bond Act, meaning it was made in one distilling season by a single distiller, aged at least four years and bottled at 50% ABV. The mash bill is 80% rye and 20% malted rye. Released in 2024, it is aged four years and carries a suggested retail price of $79.99.
The palate follows and develops very much in that vein: the standard pumpernickel and molasses that comes with malted rye so much of the time, plus notes of dill, peppermint, cookie spices, fennel and cedar. The finish spins out peppery and woody.
It’s a beautiful whiskey that tells a great story and tells it well: that High West is emerging as a distillery to watch — not just a blender you can count on. I’m excited to see what it will do with other whiskey styles coming off its stills… and to continue to taste as its stock gets older and older.
The mouthfeel isn’t traditionally thick but still has a fatty, buttery quality that allows flavors to build on the palate. This helps make up for a somewhat-flat first impression on the tip of the tongue. It also creates an opportunity for a pleasing medley of fruit: blackberry, mulberry, and plum.