Review: High West The Prisoner’s Share (2025)
Located in the scenic mountains of Park City, Utah, High West Distillery has a history of releasing limited-edition whiskeys that incorporate secondary maturation. While A Midwinter Night’s Dram is arguably the most well-known of these offerings, The Prisoner’s Share has also become a notable entry in the lineup.
On June 1, 2025, High West released Batch No. 25C05 of The Prisoner’s Share. This edition follows a previous release reviewed by Drinkhacker in June 2023, which featured a blend of whiskeys aged from 4 to 15 years. The 2025 release is a blend of bourbon and rye whiskeys aged between 4 and 12 years, finished in French oak barrels that previously held a red wine blend from The Prisoner Wine Company in St. Helena, located in Napa Valley, California.
The wine that previously occupied the barrels typically consists of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Charbono, with Zinfandel comprising approximately 40% of the blend. This finishing process is facilitated by the shared ownership of High West Distillery and The Prisoner Wine Company under Constellation Brands.
Batch No. 25C05 is made from five different mashbills. The bourbon components include a mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley distilled by MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana; a two-grain bourbon composed of 60% corn and 40% rye distilled by Bardstown Bourbon Company; and a mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley from an undisclosed Kentucky distillery, a mashbill often associated with Heaven Hill. The rye whiskey components include a mashbill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley from MGP and a mashbill of 80% rye and 20% malted rye distilled in Utah by High West. High West does not disclose the proportion of each component used in the final blend. Each whiskey component was aged approximately four to six years before being transferred into the red wine barrels for additional maturation. The whiskey was bottled at 102 proof and was not chill filtered.
High West The Prisoner’s Share (2025) Review
The red wine cask influence makes an immediate impression as the nose opens with a note that calls to mind diluted cranberry juice. Layered into the fruit are aromas of shortbread cookies and caramel corn, offering contrast and sweetness. With a little time in the glass, the whiskey reveals additional complexity: orange marmalade becomes more pronounced, accompanied by a trace of mild tobacco. Together, the cranberry and orange marmalade conjure the character of spiced winter punches often served during the holiday season.
On the palate, the red wine continues to play a central role, though the expression shifts—sour or underripe plums take the lead, introducing a tart, tannic edge. As the initial acidity settles, notes of challah bread and smoked maple syrup come through, followed by baked sweet potatoes. The whiskey has a medium-thick texture that supports the evolving flavors well. The finish is driven by black pepper and cloves, with a final impression of blueberry pie filling that lingers.
The 2025 edition of High West The Prisoner’s Share is a strong example of wine cask finishing executed with restraint and intention. The time spent in red wine barrels is evident throughout the experience, yet the rye content in the blend is not lost—it holds its own and adds a welcome spice structure. At $175, the price is certainly steep and may cause hesitation, though for those already accustomed to ultra-premium bottle pricing, the quality is likely to meet expectations.
Conceptually, The Prisoner’s Share shares DNA with releases like Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Collaborative Series, particularly the Silver Oak edition. Both are blends sourced from multiple distilleries with finishing in wine casks. Where they diverge is in approach: The Prisoner’s Share blends younger whiskey and allows for a more extended finishing period, whereas Silver Oak features more mature whiskey finished over a comparatively short 17 months. In that context, the $175 price point feels more in line with what similar projects are asking—and delivering on.
102 proof.
A- / $175 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
The post Review: High West The Prisoner’s Share (2025) appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.