Whats your favourite High West product?

[tedski49]

For those that have tried both the Rendezvous Rye and the Double Rye:

Is the Rendezvous worth the 50% higher price? ($40 vs $60)

[Josh]

Yes, I think it is.

[TunnelTiger]

I'll second that.

[melon16]

Here is some general information on ratios (if I know them), mashbills, and sources of the whiskeys High West uses in their standard products:

Double Rye: 2yr (95% rye) and 16yr (53% rye, 37% corn, 10% barley), both from MGP

Rendezvous Rye: 80% 6yr (95% rye) from MGP and 20% 16yr (80% rye) from Four Roses

Son of Bourye: 5yr rye (95% rye) and 6yr bourbon (75% corn, 20% rye, 5% barley), both from MGP

American Prairie Bourbon: 6yr (75% corn, 20% rye, 5% barley) and 10yr (60% corn, 35% rye, 5% barley), both from MGP

Campfire: 6yr MGP rye (95% rye), 6yr MGP bourbon (75% corn, 20% rye, 5% barley), >5yr scotch (seller has a non-disclosure agreement), and the scotch is a single digit % and rye a low teen % of the blend.

Hope this is helpful. It came from the mouth of one of their reps. I found the Four Roses the most interesting aspect of the blends. The owner of HW has a relationship with Jim Rutledge. Apparently, FR was experimenting with rye before it got big and ending up selling the entire stock to HW, as they didn't think they could sell it.

[GaryT]

Apparently, FR was experimenting with rye before it got big and ending up selling the entire stock to HW, as they didn't think they could sell it.

Holy sh!t - I wonder if we can get Dave to bottle some of that as single barrel, cask strength? I've had dreams about Four Roses making rye, and never new they experimented with it before.

Great info Melon!

[Josh]

The 10 y/o in American Prairie is from Four Roses, according to HW's website.

[melon16]

The mashbills are the same, so I wouldn't be surprised. I asked the rep if the 6yr bourbon in the Son of Bourye (75c,20r,5b) was Four Roses, and he said it was MGP. My notes say MGP for the 10yr in American Prairie, but I could have written it down wrong or he could have been mistaken. I was really good talking with this guy and he was very straight forward as to what their doing and why. I find myself buying more and more of their products these days. The have big future plans for their own product with a new distillery in Park City.

[squire]

Just because they bought it from Four Roses doesn't mean it was made there. It's more likely Four Roses purchased the Rye for use in blends which was their only Domestic product for a lot of years, their Bourbon being sold overseas. That also explains why they couldn't sell it because that would mean building a brand around sourced whisky which couldn't be duplicated exactly in their own stills.

[squire]

I find myself buying more and more of their products these days. The have big future plans for their own product with a new distillery in Park City.

I applaud these efforts and look forward to some truly unique products. I'm particularly interested in the effects of aging whisky in new charred barrels in a cold, dry climate 7000 feet above sea level.

[melon16]

Just because they bought it from Four Roses doesn't mean it was made there. It's more likely Four Roses purchased the Rye for use in blends which was their only Domestic product for a lot of years, their Bourbon being sold overseas. That also explains why they couldn't sell it because that would mean building a brand around sourced whisky which couldn't be duplicated exactly in their own stills.

Has Four Roses ever sourced any bourbon or other types of whiskey throughout their history?

[Josh]

I would trust the information on HW's website over a rep. There are dozens of stories on these forums about reps giving incorrect information. Since this is the first anyone has heard of Four Roses ever making rye, I find that piece to be highly dubious. Regarding American Prairie Reserve, if they were both MGPI, they could call it a straight instead of a blend of straights. That alone points to two different distilleries in two different states.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Josh

[squire]

Has Four Roses ever sourced any bourbon or other types of whiskey throughout their history?

Yes, Paul Jones began selling whisky under the Four Roses label in the 1860s long before he relocated to Kentucky and established the brand there in 1888. Throughout its long history under different owners the Four Roses brand used whisky from a variety of sources which was common practice of the day. The same can be said of other long established brands such as Old Forester, W.L.Weller, Old Fitzgerald and Wild Turkey, just to name a few. Nothing wrong with any of that, just the way things were done.

[tanstaafl2]

Here is some general information on ratios (if I know them), mashbills, and sources of the whiskeys High West uses in their standard products:

Double Rye: 2yr (95% rye) and 16yr (53% rye, 37% corn, 10% barley), both from MGP

Rendezvous Rye: 80% 6yr (95% rye) from MGP and 20% 16yr (80% rye) from Four Roses

Son of Bourye: 5yr rye (95% rye) and 6yr bourbon (75% corn, 20% rye, 5% barley), both from MGP

American Prairie Bourbon: 6yr (75% corn, 20% rye, 5% barley) and 10yr (60% corn, 35% rye, 5% barley), both from MGP

Campfire: 6yr MGP rye (95% rye), 6yr MGP bourbon (75% corn, 20% rye, 5% barley), >5yr scotch (seller has a non-disclosure agreement), and the scotch is a single digit % and rye a low teen % of the blend.

Hope this is helpful. It came from the mouth of one of their reps. I found the Four Roses the most interesting aspect of the blends. The owner of HW has a relationship with Jim Rutledge. Apparently, FR was experimenting with rye before it got big and ending up selling the entire stock to HW, as they didn't think they could sell it.

Trusting reps is always a bit of a risky business! I think your source likely was not that well informed. I am inclined to accept what the HW website says, not to mention what David Perkins has said to me in the past about the Rendezvous which matches the website. I think it has been pretty well known for some time that the older 80% rye in Rendezvous was from Barton. Although it is a different mashbill the website says the older rye in Double Rye is Barton as well. Admittedly there is likely little chance we could find out for certain if it was distilled at Barton or was simply owned by Barton and sourced elsewhere although I am inclined to think that is unlikely.

American Pairie is listed as using 10yo Four Roses bourbon, not MGP. I too would be surprised if any rye whiskey came from Four Roses but I suppose anything is possible.

For Rendezvous for example if you look under "Technical Details":

Marriage of two straight rye whiskies: a straight 6-year-old with a mashbill containing 95% rye and 5% barley malt (LDI now MGP); a straight 16-year-old with a mashbill containing 80% rye, 10% corn, 10% barley malt (Barton Distillery).

[MyOldKyDram]

ISO 16 year Four Roses rye.

[Flyfish]

I don't know what to make of the Double Rye. In theory, a little 16YO is supposed to sand off the rough corners of the 2YO. I don't think there was quite enough 16.

[squire]

It sounds good on paper but I don't see the 2 improving the 16.

[tanstaafl2]

It sounds good on paper but I don't see the 2 improving the 16.

But it does make the 16yo last longer!

[squire]

Reminds me of those rum guys tossing a cup of 23 year old into a barrel of 5 year old and calling it "23 Solera"

[tanstaafl2]

Reminds me of those rum guys tossing a cup of 23 year old into a barrel of 5 year old and calling it "23 Solera"

Come on now! Is that fair? They claim it is 6 years old, not 5...

:cool:

[squire]

They also put a big honking 23 on the label.

[nd2005]

I don't know what to make of the Double Rye. In theory, a little 16YO is supposed to sand off the rough corners of the 2YO. I don't think there was quite enough 16.

Rendezvous Rye is one of my favorites (and makes the best Manhattan of just about any rye I've tried).

Double Rye, not so much.