WhistlePig’s Boss Hog series is one of the most beloved whiskey releases of modern times. These (expensive) whiskeys are refined releases of Canadian rye finished in Vermont that always shine brightly on an over-crowded whiskey shelf. They’re also a collector’s dream, given their rarity.
Since these whiskey releases typically cost $600 (on a good day), it’s fair to ask if what’s in the bottle is any good. I’m here to answer that for you. Before we dive in, I’ll just note that WhistlePig set the bar high for this one. Since this is the tenth release of Boss Hog, they decided on a biblical theme with “Ten Commandments” to live by when building this release.
Those “commandments” here as follows: It must be…
I. Single Barrel
II. Bottled at Proof
III. Powerfully Complex
IV. Distinctly Unique From Anything We’ve Done Before
V. Stupendous
VI. Fearlessly First Amongst All Whiskeys
VII. Inspired by the Unfamiliar
VIII. Irreverently Inventive
IX. Made for Drinking
X. Knows No Bounds
The biblical connection didn’t end there either. One of the finishing barrels they used in Vermont was infused with two resins made from Frankincense and Myrrh. Which is likely a first, and certainly “complex.” But as I said, is it any good? Let’s get into what’s actually in the bottle!
ABV: 58.2%
Average Price: $999
This year’s Boss Hog is a non-age-statement Canadian rye that was shipped out to Vermont. Once there, the whiskey was re-barreled into a finishing barrel that held mead. That barrel was then filled with WhistlePig distillate made from rye and whey (an experimental spirit). Then the barrel heads were infused with frankincense and myrrh resin to add something unique to the already one-of-a-kind cask.
After all of that… the rye finally went in. Once the flavor profile was just right for bottling, the whiskey was bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Old honeycombs greet you on the nose with a sense of dead flowers on a cold fall day in a graveyard before a spark of freshly grated ginger with plenty of juice livens the whole experience toward a chili-spiced orange zest with a hint of green tea matcha incense.
Palate: That earthy and old honey hits the tip of your tongue with a deep and floral sweetness before raisins and salted cashews mingle with clove-studded oranges and a cut of lemon marmalade just kissed with black pepper over a scone.
Finish: That pepper fades on the finish as grassy lemon leads to roasting herbs with a hint of blackberry jam cut with floral and very earthy honey next to a rush of sandalwood and green tea powder incense with a hint of acacia bark.
Bottom Line:
This was very reminiscent of an amburana cask finish, which is all the rage these days. Obviously, it’s not that — but that’s my closest frame of reference. Whistle Pig wanted unique so… Mission accomplished!
Ranking:
88/100 — This is a good whiskey but leans a little too much toward a major trend’s flavor profile (amburana). Realistically, that’ll be gone in a year’s time. And in this case, the rye gets a little lost in the mix.
This sold out pretty much instantly when it went up on the WhistlePig website a week or so ago. Today, you’ll see it at good restaurants and whiskey bars as well as on the online secondary retail market, in auctions, and with collectors who are willing to trade/barter.
