The Rye Whiskey Made For Wine Drinkers
Courtesy of WhistlePig
I recently received a coveted invitation to attend a WhistlePig event in Houston, Texas where the Master Blender Meghan Ireland and Brand Manager Derek Hamilton came to town. Since I live in Los Angeles the kind folks got me into an airplane and flew me out to attend what turned out to be one of the most eye-opening tastings I've been a part of in years...breaking down the components of their 12 Year Old World Rye. In the simplest of terms, it was an opportunity to get to know the blending process. But the exercise proved to be so much more than that. A night of industry folks coming together to start with a New York Sour...why is it called a New York Sour?! Because of the red wine float, naturally. Then the opportunity to sit down with the three components that get blended into the magical finished product truly provided an insight into where X-marks-the-spot of wine & whiskey lovers coming together. Unity of GRAPE & GRAIN.
Courtesy of WhistlePig
The components of WhistlePig's 12 Year Old World Rye are aged in American Oak for just south of 12 years, but their last 2-4 months of oak elaboration happen in some magical wine barrels, seasoned by Sauternes, Madeira, and Port. For those unfamiliar, Sauternes is a noble sweet wine made in the Bordeaux region of France, where the grape Semillon develops botrytis, a fungus that envelops the grape entirely and allows the sugars to concentrate without the normal pressure from the outside world. Madeira is an island way off the coast of West Africa, but it belongs to Portugal. The infamous sweet wines produced on the island are made unlike any other on the planet: fortified, then exposed to heat and sun, an all-out barrage that makes the wine impenetrable. What a magical elixir. Lastly, Port, is grown in the Douro Valley east of the Portuguese town of Porto, then aged in the more humid cellars of Vila Nova di Gaia, just across the Douro River from Porto. This fortified wine has rallied markets and been shipped all around the world for hundreds of years. Each of these three wines spend a good amount of time in oak, and the effect of each on said oak was something I hadn't been able to explore. This tasting provided the insight.
Courtesy of WhistlePig
The final blend of WhistlePig's 12 Year Old World Rye comes from 63% Madeira aged, 30% Sauternes aged, and 7% Port aged. The Madeira component brought the structure and body, lending some rancio and umami notes. The Sauternes component was definitely softened with a floral and fruit-forward edge. The Port aged component showed the most broad-shouldered, with a pronounced spice and meatiness to it. The old adage rings true, This 12 Year Old World Rye is truly bigger than the sum of its parts. A wine lovers dream, looking for a foray into the whiskey world.
Courtesy of WhistlePig
MK: How did the idea of wine barrel finishing first come up for the 12 Year Old World Rye?
MI: Wine finishing had been around in scotch for a while, which sparked the idea for our original Master Distiller Dave. Dave saw the potential of how these wine finishes would be able to showcase the versatility of Rye Whiskey.
MK: Can you please briefly explain what each of the components add to the final blend? Sauternes finish | Madeira finish | Port finish
MI: When Blended together it is really interesting how each wine gets to show off what it has to offer. Much of the aroma comes from the honey and floral notes of the Sauternes. The Madeira adds a great body and mouthfeel to the whiskey. It also lends some roasted almond and fruity notes to the whiskey. Lastly the port really comes through on the finish. It still allows the classic rye spice finish but adds in great notes of dark fruits such as plums and raisins.
MK: Did you blend the 12 Year Old World Rye with a wine drinker's palate in mind?
MI: While I don't think we were specifically thinking of wine drinkers we were definitely thinking of those with a bit of a sweet tooth. Rye whiskey is known for being bold and spicy, and one of the goals of 12yr was to create a rye whiskey for people who may be looking for something slightly softer and sweeter. So while not explicitly crafted with the wine drinker's pallet in mind, we have found that it is the whisky in our portfolio that self claimed wine drinkers really gravitate towards. I think this is in part because 12 Year Old World Rye has that higher perceived sweetness and is more fruit forward than many other ryes.
MK: When you're drinking wine, what are some regions and grapes you like to get into?
MI: I have just started to really get into the world of wine a little more. I recently took a trip out to Napa and really got an appreciation for both the Napa Cab and Zinfandels.
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