Today’s review is PiggyBack Rye from Whistle Pig, a distillery located in Vermont, and one that we have reviewed multiple expressions here lately with mixed results. Piggyback is their entry-level Rye and is marketed as a “cocktail rye”, meaning, we guess, that it is best suited for a mixed drink. From their website, “PiggyBack’s unique strength of precisely 96.56 proof is the optimal match in the strength-sweet-bitter cocktail triangle, making it a bartender’s dream.” This is one of the late Master distiller Dave Pickerell’s last creations for the company, and he wanted it to be a homage to bartenders.
When introduced in 2007, WhistlePig was somewhat hard to find. Today, besides maybe The Boss Hog, it is readily available, including PiggyBack rye. It sells for just under $50, is aged 6 years, has a 100% Canadian rye mash bill, and is, as stated above, bottled at the odd 96.56 proof. Speaking of bottles, legend has it that the nice-looking corked bottle was made in a shape that made it easier for bartenders to handle.
We are not big fans of the standard 10-year WhistlePig Rye but really liked the 12-year-Old World Rye. We have had the Farmstock rye but not as a review, and neither of us can remember if we liked it or not. We are big fans of rye, so we are hoping to find another one we like.
NOSE
Matt: Not a ton going on, a light nose of rye with faint hints of black pepper and green apple. Ice kills the black pepper and makes it smell like watered-down rye, which I guess it is at that point.
Todd: Mellow scents of rye, apples, bananas, and spice.
TASTE
Matt: Earthy and hot neat with some malt, rye, cereal, and wood. Ice adds some clove and leather.
Todd: Hot neat with an almost peaty, Irish Whiskey-like taste of malt and barley. Also, tasting the rye along with an overall spiciness. Ice removed the Irish Whiskey taste.
FINISH
Matt: Medium long, hot, and spicey with just a touch of sweetness.
Todd: Medium with some hotness, spice, and a little more of the malt.
OVERALL
Matt: Didn’t really impress me. I wouldn’t buy again.
Todd: While decent with ice, not worth the money.
Nose 2.5 out of 5
Taste 6.25 out of 10
Finish 2.75 out of 5
Total score 11.5 out of 20 barrels.
Even though PiggyBack has a good story, and we all like a good story, we didn’t really care too much for this so-called “mixer’s rye.” While it might be a pretty smart marketing plan to try and set yourself apart from all the ryes out there, it just doesn’t work. If you are going to sell this as a good cocktail rye, we believe it should be a lot lower price. At $50, you should get a rye that is good neat or on the rocks, this was neither. And we can think of 3 to 4 ryes just off the top of our heads that are quite a bit less than this that would be just as good or better in a cocktail.
If you are a big fan of all things WhistlePig, then by all means, at least give it a try. But if you value our opinion, and we assume you do since you read this blog, we advise you pass on PiggyBack rye.