Review: WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel
WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is the third release in the company’s limited edition PiggyBack Legends Series.
Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye whiskey is finished with a lychee and oolong tea barrel. Selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland, then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery in Vermont, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood.
WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof (48.385% ABV), a nod to Finnish racing driver Valtteri Bottas’ Formula One car number, 77. It carries a suggested retail price of $49.99.
WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel Specifications:
- Spirit: American & Canadian Whiskey.
- Classification: Rye Whiskey.
- Age: NAS (No Age Statement).
- ABV: 48.385% (96.77 Proof).
- Mash Bill: 100% Rye.
- Cask Type: Finished with a lychee and oolong tea barrel.
- Price Paid: N/A (Sample from WhistlePig Whiskey).
- MSRP: $49.99 for 750 mL.
Tasting Notes:
- Color: Amber.
- Nose: The lychee and tea barrel finish is evident. Extremely floral and fruity upfront, with aromas of oolong tea, lychee, pear, and strawberry, followed by rye spice, dill pickles, and a hint of pencil shavings. Time in the glass slightly tames the floral aromas and brings out more rye character, but this remains a very floral whisky on the nose.
- Palate: Light to moderate mouthfeel. The barrel finish comes through even stronger on the palate. It leads with oolong tea and strong – I mean strong – floral notes, followed by an assortment of fruit – lychee, pear, strawberry, and green apple – and rye spice, dill, black pepper, mint, and cinnamon.
- Finish: Medium length. The oolong tea and floral notes continue to dominate, accompanied by more lychee, pear, strawberry, green apple, rye, black pepper, dill, mint, and cinnamon.
As much as I enjoy Bourbon and Rye whiskey, they can be very samey due to regulations surrounding their production. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with a well produced, traditional Bourbon or Rye. However, sometimes I want something different and unconventional. Whiskeys such as Barrell Seagrass and WhistlePig The Boss Hog IV: Siren’s Song scratch that itch. I was hoping this would, too.
Unfortunately, I don’t enjoy whiskeys that are predominantly floral in character, and the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is among the most floral whiskeys I can recall sampling over my decade long whiskey journey. There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with the whiskey, and I applaud the folks at WhistlePig for trying something new; it’s just not for me. With that being said, if you’re the type that enjoys floral whiskeys, or if you’re a mixologist looking for something unique to experiment with in cocktails, you may want to take the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel for a spin.
Rating: C- (70-72).