Wigle Triple Double, 46%

Part of this Pittsburgh distillery's series of “Whims” one-offs. Truly interesting nose: a combination of new-barrel bourbon reek and Irish raw barley grassiness, yielding mint, vanilla, juicy wet grain, and faint cinnamon. Hot entry of vanilla and small-barrel oak, which suddenly collapses to a dry cocoa sweetness spiked with hot pepper, like Mexican chocolate. This typifies a lot of craft efforts: not a great whiskey now, but one with terrifically interesting potential. I hope Wigle pursues this Whim. Price is per 375 ml.