We have introduced High West and their wares already when we reviewed the exceptional “Rendezvous Rye,” so there is no real particular need to rehash their quaint ways, except to say that while they are technically a distillery, they are instead known for their artisan blends of sourced whiskies. They don’t just take one whiskey and re-bottle it like some boring jackass would, instead they seem to make at least an brief effort create something new. We have to give them credit for that, and plenty already have and will continue to do so. On to some particulars…

American Prairie is comprised of 3 whiskies: a 2 year old MGP with a rye flavor grain, a 6 year old mystery Kentucky bourbon, and a 13 year old mystery Kentucky bourbon. All three of these are straight whiskies, by the way. We clock in at 46% ABV and no chill filtration is utilized. Every blogger and their mother report these “mystery” bourbons as sourced from a very particular distillery located in a city that rhymes with Florence-berg, KY, but I found no smoking gun to satisfy my expert reporting, so I will leave it a mystery. The reason why is because literally no one cares. Onward…

SWC Review

Nose- Rye. Rye everywhere with floral notes, dry eraser, rubber, clove, minty grass and pine. No obvious sweetness to speak of. Slight clove with fresh cedar. Applesauce.

Taste- Grapefruit rind, rye and black pepper. Some butterscotch.

Finish- Pith, citrus peel. Spices with a metallic twinge. Bitter tannins and drying. Short.

Comment – Bourbon lovers won’t be outlandishly enthused but rye lovers will rejoice in the streets. Definitely some nice rye aromas, which is always a fine thing. I wonder what kind of whiskey American Prairie is trying to be, though….

SWC Rating 80/100

Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments section below.

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