WhistlePig 18 Year Double Malt 3rd Edition Straight Rye Whiskey 750ml

WhistlePig 18 Year Double Malt 3rd Edition is the third annual installment of WhistlePig's oldest core rye whiskey program, released in 2021 in a hand pressed Vermont glass decanter from the renowned Simon Pearce glassmaking workshop. The mash bill is a tribute to American farmer distillers of the pre industrial era who malted a small portion of their crop to start fermentation before commercial yeasts and catalysts existed. Distilled at Alberta Distillers in Canada from 79% rye, 15% malted rye, and 6% malted barley, then aged a full 18 years in new American oak, the 3rd Edition is a contemplative sipper at the top of WhistlePig's age stated lineup. Each annual edition is hand bottled at the farm and crowned with a bespoke glass topper pressed on a 19th century glass press, one of the last of its kind in operation. At 92 proof and 46% ABV, this is the elegant counterpoint to the brand's higher proof flagship releases, designed to reward patience and slow drinking. Certified Kosher and increasingly scarce as newer editions of the Double Malt program have rolled out.

ABV / Proof

Tasting Notes

Color: Moderate golden amber with a soft yellow green undertone.

Nose: Sweet and aromatic with toasted oak, berries, nutmeg, and a touch of red apple lifting from the glass. Develops into toasted walnut, lightly toasted rye bread, caramel popcorn, and tangerine peel with air.

Palate: Elegant and spicy, silky and delicate on the palate with mild fruit, gentle floral lift, French vanilla, and clean oak. Layers of clove, allspice, and peppered oak emerge with time.

Finish: Wonderfully long, clean, and spicy with a soft candy sweetness and lingering baking spice fade.

FAQ

What is "Double Malt"? Double Malt refers to a mash bill that includes both malted rye and malted barley. American farmer distillers before the industrial era would malt a small portion of their crop to start fermentation, since commercial yeasts and enzymes did not yet exist. WhistlePig revives this approach with a 79% rye, 15% malted rye, 6% malted barley mash bill for the 3rd Edition.

How is this different from the 4th and 5th Editions? The 3rd Edition is aged exclusively in new American oak for the full 18 years with no secondary cask finish. Later editions introduced a Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry cask finish and shifted the mash bill composition (the 5th Edition simplified to 91% rye and 9% malted barley). Each annual edition is a distinct expression.

Where was the 3rd Edition distilled? The 3rd Edition was distilled at Alberta Distillers in Canada from the Double Malt mash bill, then aged in new American oak at the WhistlePig farm in Shoreham, Vermont before being hand bottled in the Simon Pearce crystal decanter.

How does this compare to other WhistlePig releases? The 18 Year sits at the top of the WhistlePig age stated core lineup, above the flagship WhistlePig 10 Year Rye and the wine cask finished Old World 12 Year. It is the oldest annually released expression in the brand's core lineup, just below the limited Boss Hog series.

Where can I buy WhistlePig 18 Year Double Malt 3rd Edition online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.