High West Double Rye

ABC - $37.99 

TW - $33.99

Class VI - Not Available

ABV - 46%

NAS

Mashbill 

Straight Rye whiskeys: 

95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP;

80% Rye, 20% Malted Rye from High West Distillery

High West Distillery

21 Oct 25

From the VA ABC website:  High West Double Rye! Barrel Aged Rye is a very spicy rye with a perfect balance of cinnamon, anise and honey. It stands out in cocktails, neat or on the rocks.

If you look at the mashbill, you’ll notice that the distillery married some sourced whiskey trucked in from industrial distiller, MGP (Midwest Grain Products), with an amount of their own distillate.  This practice is common  among new distilleries who are trying to get their operation off the ground.  They’ll buy from a company like MGP, age, and bottle that whiskey until their distillate is ready for a grand debut.  There’s nothing wrong with this plan.  MGP is a legitimate company who puts out very good product.  Honesty is welcome in the world of whisk(e)y.  It’s when a distiller tries to hide things that the enthusiasts start to get skeptical.  

High West proudly notes that it’s “Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870 and the world’s only ski-in gastro-distillery.” They utilize both a column still and a pot still — a combination that lets them capture the strengths of each style.

Here’s how High West describes the combination:

• The younger rye, sourced from MGP and produced on a column still, brings bold spice and herbal notes — think cinnamon, clove, anise, eucalyptus, and evergreen tones reminiscent of gin.

• The older rye, distilled in-house by High West on a pot still, contributes a richer, rounder character with touches of caramel sweetness, vanilla, and oak that help smooth the younger spirit’s sharp edges.

  
  

The result is a rye that’s bold, balanced, and complex - an excellent base for cocktails but perfectly enjoyable neat.

I enjoyed my Double Rye neat, but it would make an excellent cocktail.  And it would stand up nicely to a Connecticut cigar on the back deck or by a fireplace while watching the game. This whiskey would really show its stuff in any cocktail that calls for rye whiskey.  I enjoyed every sip and I think you will too.  

Sahil cholejil!

I went looking for a good cocktail that uses the Double Rye.  I try to post cocktails that are interesting and use ingredients

that we could reasonably obtain.  I found that High West offers no fewer than thirteen pages of recipes - many featuring ingredients I’d have to hunt for. So, in the spirit of simplicity and accessibility, I decided to stick with a timeless classic: the Manhattan.

Cocktail

The Manhattan

2 oz High West Double Rye0.75 oz Sweet Vermouth2-3 dashes Angostura BittersBrandied Cherries Garnish

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with brandied cherries.