High West Campfire

[macdeffe]

depends how you label it

I once won a bottle of some kind of white wine - whisky mixture at a Ceilidh in Dufftown

Wasn't very good but we finished the bottle before the Ceilidh :-)

Steffen

[LostBottle]

Is this stuff available yet? Anyone here try the final version?

[LikeItWasSodaPop]

Spotted this in Chicago 2 days ago. There was still Bourye on the shelf and so I went for the last couple bottles of that over the Campfire. I'm open to the idea but waiting to try it before springing for a bottle.

[Gillman]

Interestting. If the malt whiskey is peated I can see how the taste might show even when used in small percentage. If the malt used was not peated, I doubt anyone could tell it was not a bourbon or straight rye if the percentage used was 5% or 10%, maybe even up to 20%. To me using unpeated single malt with straight American whiskeys - provided the latter are the majority - is like increasing the malt percentage of the bourbon or rye mashes, which used to be much higher in the past than now... Anyway I look forward to trying this.

Gary

[sailor22]

I have had the finished version and I enjoyed it. It's been a few weeks but if memory serves it tastes initially like a smokey peated Scotch on entry but with a sweet thick Rye mouthfeel and finish. You could taste the Bourbon but it was in a supporting role. Everyone who has tried it liked it, both the Scotch drinkers and the Bourbon drinkers, I would put myself in the second group.

[Gillman]

Sounds like a peated malt was used then. I'd like to try it, a range of flavors is possible with different components being blended and you never know what will produce a winning taste. The combination, while different of course from using just straight whiskeys or even the latter with an unpeated malt added, isn't so odd really because straight whiskeys can be smoky too from the effect of the charred barrel. I always wondered if old Professor Crow from Scotland, who worked in American distilling in the mid-1800's, advised to use charred barrel aging methodically to impart some of the quality he remembered from the old country.

Gary

[LostBottle]

Per the High West website, it is using a peated Scotch. For me, this is the big draw as I love smoke and really want to see how it plays with the rye spice. Interesting that the Scotch is what came through as the prominent note on the palate, I figured it would have taken more of a backseat and added some additional barrel char-like notes instead. I also agree with Gillman in that a non-peated Scotch would not have been nearly as interesting here - I am glad they went the route they did.

[sailor22]

I'd like to try it, a range of flavors is possible with different components being blended and you never know what will produce a winning taste.

As I'm sure you know Gary it can be a delicate balance. I first tasted this at 100 proof and didn't care for it at all but David kept working the proof and found a sweet spot. Sometimes you get close on the first try but it needs tweaking.

[Gillman]

That's it, the sweet spot, balance is everything.

BTW I think using unpeated malt whisky could be excellent too, as a way to make a "better" straight whiskey (more barley in the small grains so to speak), if not too much is used.

Gary

[dridge11]

I tried it last week meeting with the CA distributor. If you like peaty scotch then you'll like it. The name "Campfire" is very appropriate. Very interesting and delicious balance. If you like the High West line, you will greatly enjoy it.