Whistle Pig The Boss Hog The Commandments Single Barrel Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml) - Tenth Edition

Now in its tenth installment, The Boss Hog continues to transcend tradition, breaking and rewriting the laws of whiskey creation. Each barrel of the Ten Commandments Straight Rye is aged in new American oak before completing its journey in two unorthodox finishing barrels. The first is seasoned with Whistle Pigs' own experimental spirit – distilled from rye and whey, infused with aromatic resins from the genera commonly known as Frankincense and Myrrh, delivering notes of creme brulee, lemongrass and rosemary to the final whiskey. The second and final finish is an aging in craft mead casks, resulting in a mellow, round-bodied whiskey with hints of red berries and freshly crushed black pepper. Following a standard set by previous editions, the presentation is one of the most exuberant in the American Whiskey category. The Commandments are emblazoned within The Boss Hog X gift box, and each bottle is crowned by the lawmaker and rule breaker of Rye in the form of a handmade pewter stopper. 53.2% Alc./Vol. (Bottles vary from 105.3 to 107 depending on the barrel). Collectable.

Other reviews... A warm nose of ginger, cinnamon muffin baked dough, and sweetness. The palate offers candied orange and candied berries, bakery notes, dark chocolate, and cherry coulis. It’s very complex, but the texture is smooth and honeyed, with heat and spice to temper the sweetness. On the finish, candied orange, warm butter, licorice, and vanilla. Flavorful and enjoyable, with complexity and bite. You’ll definitely want to keep on sipping. 93 points - whiskyadvocate.com

...So there you go: Milk (whey) and honey (mead). Frankincense and Myrrh. Hey, we get it! There’s no gold here — the bottle stopper is pewter — but basically it’s got everything else needed for a young savior to find his way in the world. I was excited to get a chance to try it, and I have some thoughts. On the nose, this was less surprising than I expected it would be, featuring iconic rye spice notes, allspice, cloves, and pepper, ringed with a savory, almost charred edge. Sweetness lies beneath, but it’s not at all clear what lies in store. Hints of honey, later developing into an apple cider note, become more insistent with a little air time. The palate is where things blow up. This whiskey, like many a Boss Hog before it, has been twisted and turned a million different ways, and while purists may feel the manipulation is too much, they’re really missing out. Bold honey notes initially dominate — mead is not a subtle flavor, after all — and the whiskey may be overly sweet for some. It takes some patience and exploration for the herbal — er, “aromatic resin” — notes to become clearer, with time revealing notes of blackberries, rosemary, and a surprising slug of bittersweet chocolate. With time: slightly smoky incense. Frankincense, I guess, wafting into your nostrils. Intense and immersive, it is gorgeous at bottle proof but a splash of water helps temper the sweetness a bit, evoking notes of sweet tea and helping the more fragrant, incense-heavy qualities of the whiskey to show themselves. On the fade-out, there’s a vaguely Middle Eastern spice bazaar note — an aromatic punch that melds well with all that’s come before. As with last year’s Siren’s Song bottling, there’s nothing not to like here, but the experience has absolutely nothing in common with any rye you’ve had before. I love it. But if you said you hated it, I’d totally get that. Oh – and the wooden box it comes in is tons of fun too, featuring a revolving door which reveals your prize waiting within. I’d never advocating showing off a whiskey bottle without sharing it with friends, but if you’re of that mindset, this might do the trick. Reviewed: Barrel #14. - drinkhacker.com