High n’
Wicked was founded in 2019 by W.L. Lyons Brown III and Kevin E.
Sachs, both formerly of Brown-Forman.
The duo was instrumental in bringing Jack Daniel’s and Southern Comfort to the Asian and European markets.
“Our pursuit of distinctive distillates is relentless. While the soul of our brand franchise will always be Kentucky Bourbon and Kentucky Rye, we are not afraid to bottle whiskies from other parts of the country or from The Old World that meet our standards. We will throw in some secondary wood finishes from time to time to keep our offerings frothy.” – W.L. Lyons Brown III, CEO and Co-Founder
In
short, High n’ Wicked produces one-offs, including Bourbons, Single Malt Irish
whiskeys, and Single Grain Irish whiskeys, some of which will feature unique
aging and finishing components.
The
brand is distributed to 41 states and the District of Columbia, and orders can
be fulfilled from its website. I’ve reviewed a handful of expressions
from High n’ Wicked and have been impressed.
Its
newest release, Warlander
Blended Straight Whiskey, is a collaboration
between High n’ Wicked and Chris
Benchetler, a pro skier, artist, and filmmaker. Benchetler
also created the artwork on the label.
Warlander
is a blend of two American Ryes distilled from a sour mash and a Bourbon made
from a sweet mash. After marrying these whiskeys, they were returned to the
original barrels for a finishing cycle of just over two months. Some people
might refer to this blend as a BouRye (although that is a trademarked
name by High West Distillery).
High
n’ Wicked was kind enough to provide me with a sample of Warlander in exchange
for my no-strings-attached, honest review, and for that I am grateful. Let’s
#DrinkCurious and discover what it is all about.
- Whiskey Type: American Whiskey
- Distiller(s): Undisclosed Kentucky distilleries
- Age: 3 years
- Mashbill: A blend of:
- 4-year 91% rye, 9% malted barley sour mash (50% of blend)
- 3-year 91% rye, 9% malted barley sour mash (33% of blend)
- 4-year 51% corn, 29% rye, 10% malted barley sweet mash (17% of blend)
- Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak casks, then blended and rebarrelled for over two months
- Alcohol Content: 49.5% ABV (99°)
- Price per 750mL: $54.99
Appearance: I used
a Glencairn glass to explore Warlander neat. The whiskey’s color was ginger;
the liquid created a huge rim with crazed, slow tears.
Nose: I
allowed Warlander to rest about ten minutes before I began my nosing journey.
Once that expired, I started sniffing. The aroma consisted of floral rye, mint,
herbal tea, brown sugar, and cedar. That 83% rye component dominated; I could barely
recognize any Bourbon influence. When I drew the air into my mouth, I found caramel
and mint.
Palate: Warlander’s
texture was dense and creamy. The palate shock was intense cinnamon. With the
second sip, I encountered vanilla, toffee, and black tea on the front. The
middle offered mint, rye spice, and a newish leather note. I tasted clove,
cinnamon, and charred oak on the back.
Finish: The
finish is where the Bourbon took control. There were notes of charred oak,
leather, cinnamon, and toffee. The duration ran 1:48, bringing it into long
territory.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: As I
was nosing Warlander, I kept thinking about how sharp the notes were; something
very typical of immature American Ryes. The palate retained the whiskey’s youthfulness;
however, it was less than what the nose advertised. The finish slightly mellowed
my drinking experience.
Overall, Warlander began… fierce,
and is appropriately named. I appreciate young American Ryes, and Warlander is
an interesting pour. The more I sipped on it, the less fervent it became (or
perhaps my palate was simply adapting). For $55.00, I believe you’ll want to
try this one first before committing; hence my Bar rating. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit,
but begs you to do so responsibly.
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