This is High West Rendezvous Rye finished in port and French oak barrels. It is a campfire pour. An arsenal of smoke, spice, and sweet, alternating back and forth. Just when you think the nuance ends, pronouncements of chocolate, cinnamon, plum, pepper spice, and barbecue. Its complexity hits a homerun, offering honey, red fruits, and citrus to a lingering, tickling, spicy finish. A must have. Sourced whiskey.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Spring 2016)

A blend of two whiskeys; a 6 year old made from 95% rye and a 16 year old made from 80% rye.  These are very high percentages; a straight rye whiskey only needs to contain 51% rye to meet the definition.  It was very clever to marry the vibrancy of a younger whiskey with the depth of a mature whiskey.  Thanks to the high rye content, this whiskey is very spicy, with cinnamon, crisp mint, and fennel.  Underlying sweet notes of caramel, molasses, vanilla, macaroon, cocoa, and candied fruit provide a calming effect and enhance the whiskey's complexity.  But in the end, the rye is the victor, emerging with a vengeance and giving the whisky a bold, warming, spice finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2008)

A bottling from only five barrels of 95% rye whiskey produced at the former Seagram’s distillery in Indiana. It’s the American whiskey equivalent of drinking Ardbeg Supernova. Powerful and invigorating are words that come to mind. Crisp mint, warming cinnamon, dried citrus, cocoa, roasted nuts, and subtle botanicals are soothed by caramel, molasses, and honeyed orchard fruit. Brisk, bracing, spicy finish. The notes are clean, and the whiskey’s not just a one-trick “rye” pony. The sweetness balances the rye spice quite nicely. If you just can’t get enough rye in your whiskey, then this one’s for you. (Available only at the High West Distillery in Park City, Utah.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2010)

A blend of straight rye whiskeys finished in French oak and port barrels. Gobs of fruit (red and black raspberry, plum, dried citrus) and crisp mint on a bed of caramel and vanilla. Lingering cinnamon and fruit on the finish. Distinctive and impressive.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2017)

Straight bourbon and rye whiskeys aged from 10 to 14 years, this nicely balances its dry oak, almost cedary, aromas with bourbon sweetness and a rye finish. The initial hit of orange peel, caramel, and vanilla flan yields to a spicy finish of lemon zest, peppercorns, and ginger.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Summer 2017)

A nose of herbs, candied oranges, cherries, treacle, and baking spice, with pleasant aged accents of leather armchair and earthy warehouse floor. The palate offers semi-sweet chocolate, spice, dark fruit, roasted pecans, blackberries, cola, and pepper. Water brings out richer chocolate, pistachio, and blackberry jam. The finish is nutty, spicy, and peppery, with balanced oak and light fruit. Excellent complexity, with spice melding well with notes of chocolate and fruit. (60,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Summer 2020)

High West made a momentous change to its recipe for Double Rye! this year, for the first time adding its own house-made pot still rye to a blend that was previously fully sourced from other distilleries. Apple blossom, yuzu, chamomile tea, walnut shells, pine boughs, and green-apple candy on the nose shift into an oily palate that starts off soft and then picks up speed and spice. Flavors of lemon, black pepper, walnut-and-apple chutney, dark chocolate, and a lively hit of green apple make this a satisfying pour—especially at the price. Above all, it validates High West’s skill as both blenders and distillers in their own right. Number 14 in the 2018 Top 20 

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Winter 2018)

An oddball that crosses the divide between American whiskey and scotch by literally mixing the two, Campfire combines straight Indiana rye, straight Indiana bourbon, and peated blended malt scotch, marrying them together in heavily toasted French and Hungarian oak wine barrels. The scotch adds hearty, meaty flavors to the dry, spicy, and rich bourbon and rye. This is a robust and beefy whiskey, with smoke reminiscent of Southern barbecue. Earlier releases of this ambitious whiskey didn’t quite hit the mark. Now, it’s right on target. Number 14 in the 2017 Top 20 

Reviewed by: Adam Polonski (Winter 2017)

This hybrid of bourbon, rye, and blended malt scotch is the dusty trail made liquid flesh. Smoke and cooked meat up front, balanced by sizzling rye spice, red fruit, and dark chocolate. Seaweed, salt spray, and peat are happy to share the spotlight. Barbecue ribs dry-rubbed with paprika, chili powder, and clove, with a smoldering finish. Hot, powerful, and beguiling. A great improvement over earlier releases (2016 batch).

Reviewed by: Adam Polonski (Fall 2017)

A beautiful rye nose of clove spice, sandalwood incense, warm cinnamon toast, and vanilla sugar leads to a palate that is both creamy and juicy, with abundant apricot, orchard, and citrus fruit; the citrus smacks of ruby-red grapefruit with its hint of bitterness. Shows a good bit of heat and power, as the seamless flavors and well-integrated spice coast through a long finish. The first bottling to include High West’s own-make spirit. Tasted blind against previous batches.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2018)

Harmonious and symphonious throughout, starting with the nose of cooked cherries, sarsaparilla, spearmint, clove, cinnamon, dill, maple syrup, tobacco leaf, and loads of oak. The chewy, broad palate yields bowls full of cherries and blueberry jam, along with roasted peanuts, dark chocolate, white pepper, spearmint oil, cinnamon, and dried chili. There’s more chili, bittersweet chocolate, dried blueberries, and lengthy oak to finish.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Summer 2019)

High West has changed the recipe for Campfire to include its own-make rye, along with sourced rye, bourbon, and peated malt whisky from Scotland. The nose is sweetly spiced and subtly smoky, with Lapsang souchong tea, kelp, beach bonfire, cigar box, orange peel, cinnamon, white pepper, and crème brûlée. Sharply herbal at first taste, it warms up to reveal orange oil, cherry cola, cough syrup, cigar wrapper, iced tea, roasted walnuts, caramel, and savory smoke. Chili heat on the finish is balanced by oak, dark chocolate, tobacco, and grilled apple.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Spring 2019)

This is a blend of straight bourbon and two straight rye whiskeys: thus the name. Very interesting indeed. But how does it taste? It’s clean, crisp, and quite vibrant (especially on the nose). The rye note is evident throughout. It starts out more like a high rye-content bourbon, with the molasses, caramel, coconut cream, sweet corn, and honey-kissed fruit marrying nicely with the dried spice (vanilla, cinnamon, brisk mint). But then on the latter half of the palate, the rye really kicks in. The whiskey gets bold, the rye becomes intense (almost piercing), with a dried spice finish. Some whiskeys are even keeled throughout. This one is more of an adventure. Not complex enough for “classic status,” but a very distinctive, enjoyable whiskey.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2010)

An exciting blend of straight rye whiskeys finished in French oak and port barrels. Beautifully spiced (warming cinnamon, crisp mint), tamed by caramel and vanilla fudge. Red and black raspberry, plum, dried citrus, and wood shavings add complexity. Warming finish. Nicely balanced and very distinctive. (Distillery only until October 1^st, then nationally)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2014)

A blend of two straight whiskeys: a very young 2 year old high rye content whiskey and a 16 year old rye whiskey with a lower rye content. Perhaps the spiciest American whiskey I have ever tasted, yet at the same time, quite tame and mellow. Complex notes of mint, clove, cinnamon, licorice root, pine nuts, and dark chocolate, with a surprising dose of gin botanicals throughout. A soft underbelly of caramel, sweet corn, and soothing vanilla provides an interesting counterpoint. Very easy-drinking, too (hard to believe it’s 46%). Intriguing, and a must-try for rye whiskey aficionados — even if only to satisfy your curiosity.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2011)

This sixth edition of Midwinter’s, which is Rendezvous rye finished in French oak and port barrels, includes High West’s own-make rye for the first time. A nose of gingerbread, allspice, nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon melds with fragrant cedar chest, leather, and oak. The palate offers sweet blackberry, chocolate, raisins, and dried plums, along with toasted oak and tobacco, leading to a spicy finale. A beautiful balancing act and a wonderfully indulgent treat.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2019)

This is a batch of 100 barrels of MGP light whiskey, an American whiskey using higher distillation proofs and used cooperage. It reminds me of 1980s Crown Royal, with floral vibrancy, honey, and a slight hint of chocolate, followed by licorice, allspice, and vanilla. Its spice hits early and often with balanced black licorice. Blackberry, blueberry, and ginger come down the final stretch for a nice medium-length finish. Sourced whiskey. (Distillery only)

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2016)

A finish in port casks imparts plenty of dark fruit and rich flavor throughout this blend of ryes, which includes some of High West’s own make. The nose is leathery, with plums, cherries, dark chocolate, brown sugar, orange pekoe tea, and blueberry jam. More fruit on the palate, including black cherry, orange marmalade, and raisin, as well as cacao nibs, baking spice, cola, and rich oak. The finish is lengthy and layered, with cough syrup, dark berries, chocolate, and cola.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Spring 2020)