High West Rendezvous Rye Whiskey 700ml

The nose of Double Rye is dominated by notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. There are also hints of mint, pine, and dark chocolate. The palate is full-bodied and spicy, with a long, lingering finish. Double Rye is a complex and flavorful whiskey that is perfect for sipping neat or on the rocks. It can also be used in cocktails, such as the Manhattan or Old Fashioned. Here is a more detailed review of High West Double Rye: Aroma: The aroma of High West Double Rye is dominated by notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. There are also hints of mint, pine, and dark chocolate. The nose is very inviting and makes you want to take a sip. Flavor: The palate of High West Double Rye is full-bodied and spicy. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are the most prominent flavors, ... MoreThe nose of Double Rye is dominated by notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. There are also hints of mint, pine, and dark chocolate. The palate is full-bodied and spicy, with a long, lingering finish. Double Rye is a complex and flavorful whiskey that is perfect for sipping neat or on the rocks. It can also be used in cocktails, such as the Manhattan or Old Fashioned. Here is a more detailed review of High West Double Rye: Aroma: The aroma of High West Double Rye is dominated by notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. There are also hints of mint, pine, and dark chocolate. The nose is very inviting and makes you want to take a sip. Flavor: The palate of High West Double Rye is full-bodied and spicy. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are the most prominent flavors, followed by hints of mint, pine, and dark chocolate. The whiskey has a long, lingering finish that is both warming and refreshing. Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Challenging and interesting

I worked my way up through the High West catalogue and finally decided it was time for the Rendezvous. High West has yet to dissapoint me so i felt fairly confident going in. I must say, i poured 4 glasses all over a single ice cube the first night and did enjoy myself but felt for my money I'd just as quickly reach for their double rye. Which speaks to me more. But on the second night i decided to spend more time sniffing and tasting and focusing on the flavor journey. That is why i said it is a challenging rye because it took me 2 nights to pinpoint certain flavors and for some reason it's always more enjoyable once i can pin down what's inside. Someone else nailed it in their review. I kept getting a grassy herb up front and it's GOTTA BE FENNEL! Fennel and some ... MoreI worked my way up through the High West catalogue and finally decided it was time for the Rendezvous. High West has yet to dissapoint me so i felt fairly confident going in. I must say, i poured 4 glasses all over a single ice cube the first night and did enjoy myself but felt for my money I'd just as quickly reach for their double rye. Which speaks to me more. But on the second night i decided to spend more time sniffing and tasting and focusing on the flavor journey. That is why i said it is a challenging rye because it took me 2 nights to pinpoint certain flavors and for some reason it's always more enjoyable once i can pin down what's inside. Someone else nailed it in their review. I kept getting a grassy herb up front and it's GOTTA BE FENNEL! Fennel and some dill up front. I got the baking spices on the first night. The rye kick is hardly there and the finish is a bit burny in my stomach for some reason but all in all I'll say this one is nice if you wanna mix things up and try a pleasant but oddly layered rye

Hard to find this so buy

Initial taste is very smokey, and charred, almost spicy. Then I realized it was finished 9 months in a peated barrel cask that was used for scotch! that explained the smokiness, and once I knew it the spiciness diminished and the smoke flavor rose. Scotch drinkers who like the Islay malt style should try this. Would be great with BBQ. Made especially for Total Wine, so not sure you can get this limited edition anywhere else. The High West website didn't contain any writeup.

Love this!

I’ve never been a rye drinker. My career was in advertising, where the gin martini is required drinking. I’ve always also enjoyed Scotch. When I was a kid, the drink of choice for adults was the “highball,” which was also called “rye and ginger,” which in fact was Seagram’s 7 and ginger ale. As far as I know, real rye whiskey was nowhere to be found. But now, in my declining years, a friend recommended High West Rendezvous Rye, and I have fallen in love with it. I take it over one extra large ice cube in a rocks glass. Beautiful, rich flavor.

Not for everyone

I love ryes. I appreciate scotch. And I have been very impressed with most of the High West offerings that I have tried. So, imagine my shock when I opened this Rye to find it tasted like Scotch flavored with too much liquid smoke. Worse, a very chemical liquid smoke. I loathed it. So why 2 stars, I passed it on to my son-in-law. Bit of a scotch connoisseur, he thinks it’s excellent. So, if you want a rye - pass. If you want a very smoky scotch - you may love it.

Scotch infused Rye Whiskey

Reminds me of scotch. Very "peaty" . Nose is sweet and smoky, like candied apples on Halloween by a campfire, palate is smooth and smoky, big Kentucky hug all the way down. On the palate, I get notes of butterscotch and smoked peppery heat with an enjoyable, smooth, creamy finish that lasts. This one is different from most ryes I've had, but very drinkable.

Smooth and herbaceous rye

This rye isn’t especially bold, but it more than makes up for that with its uniqueness. Its high-rye mash bill lends it flavors of dill, peppercorns, and light cinnamon on top of the caramel and vanilla that’s already there from the corn, and it has zero burn. It’s also more herbaceous and gin-like than most ryes, even after High West switched to using its own distillate rather than sourcing the entire blend. At 92 proof, it’s very easy-drinking, and is best served neat. My only gripe is that it’s not as well-suited for cocktails as are higher-proof ryes like Knob Creek and Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel. But this is worth trying at least once.

Spicy but smooth

This rye has a nice piney, herbal bite to it with some warm spice and nice oaky barrel notes, with a leathery, dry finish. Enjoyable neat and in a Manhattan.BE AWARE, however, the Total Wine description is outdated and they are no longer blending a 16 yo rye with the 2 yo. Per High West's website they are now blending 2 yo and 9 yo straight ryes. Still a nice whiskey for sure, but if you go in expecting the complexity and oaky-ness of a 16 yo whiskey in there you'll be disappointed.

Unique

Wow, what a pleasant surprise this rye is! Although it’s an MPG, it definitely does not taste like every other MPG does. This Double Rye has a refreshing mint, cloves, vanilla, spice, and faint dill nose. The palette follows the nose but it’s more intense, viscus, vibrant, and slightly spicier than the nose. It’s simply delicious. The finish is warm, and lingering.I was able to pick it up for $30 but the regular price is $42.99. That’s a bit pricey in my opinion but I would definitely buy it again. It’s just so unique compared to other rye offerings in this price range. A drop of water mellows the flavor down a bit but I prefer to drink it neat. I highly recommend the High West Double Rye!

Updated review: READ BACK LABEL OF BOTTLE

I just reread my two year old review of Double Rye! when I rated it 5 stars. It has been one of my whiskey staples since. I don't remember when I bought my last bottle, but my son and I immediately noticed a big difference in taste compared to previous bottles. I read the back label, and instead of describing the blending of 2 and 16 year old ryes, it said that both are a minimum of 2 years old. I feel cheated, as, despite an identical bottle (I think), this is a totally different rye without the sweet, fruity, spicy complexity of the original. It's not bad, just pretty one dimensional, and as such, grossly overpriced. I would highly recommend any of the Redemption Ryes over this. Even the cheapest of those is excellent and far less expensive.All that being said, ... MoreI just reread my two year old review of Double Rye! when I rated it 5 stars. It has been one of my whiskey staples since. I don't remember when I bought my last bottle, but my son and I immediately noticed a big difference in taste compared to previous bottles. I read the back label, and instead of describing the blending of 2 and 16 year old ryes, it said that both are a minimum of 2 years old. I feel cheated, as, despite an identical bottle (I think), this is a totally different rye without the sweet, fruity, spicy complexity of the original. It's not bad, just pretty one dimensional, and as such, grossly overpriced. I would highly recommend any of the Redemption Ryes over this. Even the cheapest of those is excellent and far less expensive.All that being said, on the TW website, the description is still 2 & 16 year old rye, so maybe the change was temporary. I would consider trying another bottle if it describes the original 2 & 16 y.o. blend, but I'll make sure to see it in person in the store first. Fool me once and all that...If they fix it, I'll update this review yet again.