High West Rendezvous Rye

Nose: It’s all about the more savoury, herbal aromas you sometimes get from small batch US whiskey. Imagine you’ve just stripped all the bark from a young chestnut tree, and think about the scent on your hands. It’s that. With time in the glass there’s a touch of dried banana sweetness, with notes of toffee and, if you really concentrate, a dusting of cocoa.

Palate: Very spicy. It has an almost Jalapeno-like level of heat in the mouth, which subsides and leaves Dandelion and Burdock and an intense note of cardamom. It’s very oily, and after a while there’s a hint of barley, cold Chamomile tea and soya.

Finish: Herbal finish, trailing off with linseed oil, green oak, turmeric and black pepper.

Overall: Really nowhere near as sweet as I expected it to be. It’s delicious, don’t get me wrong, but very herbal and savoury indeed.