WhistlePig continues its march toward a “triple-terroir” whiskey, and FarmStock Rye Crop No. 002 is the latest mile marker. Like the previous batch, this rye was proofed with water from the Vermont distiller’s own well, and aged in oak barrels made from locally harvested wood. But where 20 percent of FarmStock No. 001 was made with rye distilled on-site, 32 percent of No. 002 is formulated with two-year-old juice straight from the WhistlePig farm. A six-year-old rye whiskey from MGP Ingredients and a 10-year-old rye from Alberta Distillers account for the rest.
The new FarmStock Rye pours a medium gold in the glass and has cherry, vanilla, and spice on the nose. One of its most interesting features is apparent from the first sip: a milky texture that offers a faint creaminess without feeling weighed down. It begins smoothly with notes of milk chocolate followed by caramel and honey at the center. That rye spice you’ve been waiting for emerges toward the end, accompanied by something uncannily like cherry cola. The rye fully takes over at the finish, which is long and dry with bursts of white pepper and oak.
The contrast between its almost milky texture and spiced, dry finish make it a rewarding slow-sipper, and the notes of chocolate, caramel and cherry are a pleasure to return to. The bad news is that just 150 barrels of the stuff were released—so if you’re eyeing a bottle of FarmStock Rye No. 002, you may not want to sleep on it.
★★★★
Stats:
— 43% ABV
— $72.99
MGP is not in Vermont.. hence it is not Vermont Whiskey