WhistlePig Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel Legends Series landed on my desk at 96.77 proof, carrying a $49.99 price tag. Here is what I found.
Nose
Light bronze color, noticeably lighter than the 10-year WhistlePig I normally drink. The lychee and oolong tea finish is something Ive never tried or even heard of before. It is evident in the nose right away. Theres an herbal, slightly citrusy, black tea scent that isnt typical of other ryes Ive had in the past. The rye spice, meanwhile, is understated. It also doesnt taste like most ryes. Thats either really interesting or potentially off-putting, depending upon how much of a purist you are. In this case, WhistlePig has certainly decided to lean into the experiment. Its lighter and sweeter than the WhistlePig 10 I usually drink, and the fruity, citrusy sensibility I found in the nose is still there. Im not familiar with lychee, but theres some fruit in this.
Palate
If youre going to do special releases, you might as well make them special. In this case, WhistlePig has embraced the idea of doing something distinctive with its partners in the Legends Series. I applaud that. And at less than $50 per bottle, its worth taking a flyer on a new and different release. This one includes whiskey distilled in Vermont by WhistlePig and some sourced from Canada, according to the bottle.rnrnIn any case, its a potentially worthwhile addition to your home bar as a conversation starter, if nothing else. I promise that you dont have anything quite like it already.
Finish
Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by Whiskeyful or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.
The Bottom Line
WhistlePig Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel Legends Series is a perfectly respectable whiskey that does what it sets out to do. At $49.99, the value is reasonable — it will not blow your mind, but it will not disappoint you either. A reliable choice.
