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Friday, September 30, 2016

High West Yippee Ki-Yay





We just go in 18 more bottles --
High West Yippee Ki-Yay Rye Whiskey..$54.99

Aged in Vermouth and Qupe Syrah Barrels
One day, just for fun, we put some rye whiskey into barrels originally used to age wine. When we mixed the ‘vermouth-ed’ (Vya, Madera, CA) and the ‘syrah-ed’ (Qupé, Santa Maria, CA) we discovered an all-natural, not disgustingly sweet whiskey for the rest of us.

How to Enjoy
Shows best at room temp, neat. With a little time in the glass sitting idle (just a few minutes) the bouquet really opens up to its full potential.
The Name

Where did “Yippee Ki-Yay” come from? Is it a real expression of joy popular with cowboys in the 19th century Western United States? Is it part of the greatest one liner in movie history? Was it influenced by the phrase ‘Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay’ from the 1936 hit song “I’m an Old Cow Hand from the Rio Grande” about a 20th-century cowboy who has little in common with cowpunchers of old and sung by Bing Crosby in the film “Rhythm on the Range” (also sung later by Roy Rogers and Frank Sinatra) and considered one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time? We’re not sure. But we are sure we like how we feel when we say it... and recommend you use it every chance you get.



Back Label Story
We confess...we didn’t coin the term “Yippee Ki-Yay”. Moreover, we didn’t paint the picture on the front label. It’s an historic poster (Gift of The Coe Foundation and Henry B. Balink) now at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming (centerofthewest.org, you really ought to visit). Furthermore, we didn’t distill the whiskeys in this bottle - it’s our Double Rye! However, we did come up with a combination that we think will make you say...Yippee Ki-Yay drinkers of horrible tasting cheap flavored uisge beatha! One day, just for fun, we put Double Rye! into oak barrels that had originally been used to age two different types of wine and discovered an all-natural, not disgustingly-sweet sipper for the rest of us.
Technical Details

Ratio of whiskeys: top secret!
Filtration: not chill-filtered, or carbon treated.
TTB Designation

A Blend of Straight Whiskies
Proof & ABV

ABV: 46%
92 Proof
Age(s), Distilled by & Mashbill(s)

Marriage of two straight rye whiskies
The 2-year-old has a mashbill of 95% rye, 5% barley malt from LDI now MGP.
The older rye has a "barely legal" rye mashbill of 53% rye and 37% corn from Barton Distillery.
Barrel Type(s)

Barrel types:
Oak barrel that previously held Vermouth Barrel (Vya, Madera, CA),
Oak barrel that previously held Qupé Syrah (Qupé Santa maria, CA)
Sensory Notes

Nose:
Warm baking spices with sweet cinnamon and clove spice, dried thyme, rosemary & desert sage with subtle black berry and cassis

Taste:
spiced maple and cinnamon, black cherry and raisin / spiced plums
Finish:
Dark caramel, currants & raisins, all interwoven with cinnamon / all spice complex

Taste: A big, bold punch of cinnamon spice and blackberries on a foundation of vanilla and caramel, the long finish is dried orange rind and herbs.
Product Reviews & Awards

93 Points - The Tasting Panel Magzine
"A-" Drinkhacker.com

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