Review: WhistlePig The Béhôlden 21 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey
Ask any whiskey enthusiast to name the top five brands that come to mind when they think of Rye whiskey, and WhistlePig is bound to come up every time. The brand launched its flagship Rye, WhistlePig 10 Year, in 2010, and has since gone on to become the leader in the category of ultra-premium Rye whiskey, expanding its range of offerings to include 6, 12, 15, and 18 year old expressions, The Boss Hog annual limited releases, and one-off releases such as RoadStock Rye.
Not content with being leaders in Rye, WhistlePig launched its first Bourbon, FarmStock Beyond Bonded, in 2021. Now, the brand is expanding into yet another category of spirits with its first single malt: WhistlePig The Béhôlden 21 Year, a North American (Canadian) Single Malt Whiskey finished in WhistlePig Rye barrels.
WhistlePig The Béhôlden 21 Year was distilled from 100% malted barley at Glenora Distillery in Glenville, Nova Scotia, Canada, on Cape Breton Island – the oldest single malt distillery in North America – and aged for 21 years in ex-Bourbon American oak barrels, then finished for 4 weeks in WhistlePig Rye barrels and bottled at 46% ABV.
Presented as a single barrel offering, the Spring 2023 release of WhistlePig The Béhôlden 21 Year is limited to just 18 barrels, and each bottle is individually numbered and encased in a luxurious wooden display.
Does WhistlePig’s first single malt live up to the same high standards that have been set for its Rye whiskey? Let’s find out!
WhistlePig The Béhôlden 21 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey Specifications:
- Spirit: Canadian Whiskey.
- Classification: Single Malt.
- Region: Nova Scotia.
- Age: 21 Years Old.
- ABV: 46% (92 Proof).
- Cask Type: Matured for 21 years in ex-Bourbon American oak barrels and finished for 4 weeks in WhistlePig Rye barrels.
- Barrel No: 006.
- Price Paid: N/A (Sample from WhistlePig).
- MSRP: $799.99 for 750 mL.
Tasting Notes:
- Color: Amber.
- Nose: Opens with huge wafts of maple syrup and caramel, followed by baked red apples, stone fruit, vanilla, and various herbs and spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, peppermint, spearmint, and rye spice. There’s a moderate amount of oak influence present – if you’ve ever been to a lumber yard or on a construction site, think of the aroma of fresh cut lumber.
- Palate: Sweet, but not cloying, with a creamy mouthfeel that leads with more of the rich maple syrup, caramel, and vanilla from the nose, followed by apricot, pure black cherry juice (not from concentrate), cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, rye spice, and oak. There’s an interplay between sweet, malty, and spice notes that reminds me of apple pie and cinnamon raisin oatmeal cookies. This is dessert in a glass.
- Finish: Medium length. The maple syrup, herbs and spices, apricot, vanilla, and oak notes from the palate continue on through the finish, but take a backseat to a lingering black cherry juice note intermingled with clove and a hint of tobacco.
Going into WhistlePig The Béhôlden 21 Year, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’ve sampled Canadian single malts from Glenora Distillery in the past, and while I enjoyed them for what they were, I found them to be a bit bland. Would a mere 4 week finish in WhistlePig Rye barrels would be long enough to transform the spirit into something unique? I was skeptical. I was also wrong.
WhistlePig must have used freshly emptied, wet Rye barrels for finishing, because The Béhôlden has a ton of Rye influence! The Glenora Distillery’s sweet and fruity character is still present at the whiskey’s core, but the Rye barrel finish adds a level of complexity and intensity to the underlying spirit that turns The Béhôlden into an unforgettable experience.
Is that experience worth $800? I’ll leave that for you to decide. For some folks, that’s a significant chunk of change. For others, it’s a drop in the bucket. If possible, you may want to try this at a bar first. However, if your only option is to purchase a bottle blind, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Of course, everything I just said is under the assumption that you can actually find a bottle of The Béhôlden. The WhistlePig brand attracts a lot of collectors (see: The Boss Hog series), so I don’t expect this release to sit on store shelves for long.
Speaking of collectors, WhistlePig has revealed plans to release another 21 year old single malt by 2024, and an even older single malt at some point in the future. If this release of WhistlePig The Béhôlden 21 Year is an indicator of what’s to come, I can’t wait to see what the team at WhistlePig has in store.
Rating: A- (90-92%).
A Second Opinion:
My cousin Jayson and I frequently participate in bottle splits and share samples of new releases. When possible, I’ll share his tasting notes alongside mine.
Jayson’s Notes:
- Color: Amber.
- Nose: Sweet. Caramel apple. Apricot jam. Honey. Buttered toast. Milk chocolate. Reminds me a little of a Twix bar after the initial fruitiness. Really, really nice.
- Palate: Full bodied, even at 46% ABV, with a creamy mouthfeel. Fruit continues with more ripeness. Thick maple syrup yields to sweet spicy rye whiskey notes. Rye notes make themselves known without taking over the malty creaminess.
- Finish: Surprisingly long. Sweet spices – cinnamon and nutmeg, give way to honey baked ham, some clove and carob molasses. The fruit jam is still in the background. A balanced continuation from the palate.
This is truly a must try – if possible, sample it at a bar or ask a generous friend for a pour. It’s well balanced and delicately plays between a mature malt and an even more mature rye. It’s a very good whisky from nose to finish. That nose though.
Jayson’s Rating: A- (90-92%).