First.  What is a whistle pig?  The website FAQ is evasive and doesn’t exactly explain what one is.  So I had to dig deeper.  A whistle pig is a groundhog or woodchuck.  There ya go.  If you already knew that, ya got one up on me.  As if the name isn’t confounding enough, the WhistlePig website says that they’re based in Shoreham, Vermont.  However, the back of the package states:  “Product of Canada, bottled by WhistlePig Whiskey Co, Bardstown, KY.”  Baffling. 

In the piglet pen:

6-year-old 100% Rye   48%, VA ABC – $49.99,  MD Total Wine – $39.99, DC – unknown

10-yr-old Small Batch Rye  50%, VA ABC – $89.00,  MD Total Wine- $69.99, DC – $79.99 

12-yr-old Old World Rye   43%, VA ABC – $174.99,  MD Total Wine – $199.99, DC – $144.99

   I started with the 6-yr-old and worked my way up.  I liked the 6-yr-old One Hundred Percent Rye very much – quite peppery.  I thought it would work very well in a manhattan.  In fact, they mention mixing it on their website.  I intend to buy a bottle and make a batch of manhattans.

The 10-yr-old small batch had an unusual finish that I wouldn’t recommend.  At 50%, it could probably handle an ice cube or a few drops of water.  I could be wrong.  You might love it.  That’s one of the best things about minis:  You can do a tasting without dropping serious cash on something you might not like.  

The 12-yr-old picked up where the 6-yr-old left off but clearly had a much smoother start and finish.  From the website:  “After maturing for 12 years in New American Oak, the spirit is divvied into one of three barrels –Madeira (63%), Sauternes (30%) and Port (7%).”  It’s delicious.  

The WhistlePig Piglets are worth the money.  I recommend them.