Review: Wyoming Whiskey 1872

Wyoming Whiskey continues the celebration of Yellowstone National Park’s 150th birthday with its latest, extremely rare offering, 1872. Proceeds will again go to support the nonprofit Yellowstone Forever, but while only $5 of each bottle of National Parks Edition No. 2 is being donated, the entirety of this bourbon’s hefty price tag will be generously passed on to help preserve the park for future generations. A little more about this one from the folks at Wyoming Whiskey.

The name 1872 pays homage to March 1, 1872 when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law, which has protected one of the most unique natural environments on earth for the last 150 years. The label on the front of each bottle features an iconic photograph by William Henry Jackson. Jackson’s photos brought the wild wonders of Yellowstone to life and impressed the need to protect and preserve the area for future generations. Each of the 150 bottles will also come with a custom leather carrying case, and all sales proceeds will be donated to Yellowstone Forever, up to a maximum donation of $150,000 based on distributor depletions, to support their ongoing effort to give back to Wyoming’s wild spaces, and namely Yellowstone in this commemorative anniversary year.

The whiskey is one of the distillery’s oldest releases to date and is comprised of 93% wheated 9-year-old bourbon blended with 7% 10-year-old rye bourbon, according to blender Nancy Fraley. We somehow managed to secure a small sample of this one from the distillery. Thoughts follow.

The aroma is a significant departure from National Parks Edition No. 2 and most other Wyoming Whisky offerings I’ve had the chance to sample. It’s sultry, more earthy than sweet with notes of tea leaves and sandalwood, saddle leather and dried herbs. Orange marmalade and a rich butterscotch note emerge in time, but the exotic quality remains, with shades of the equally rare 2015 Barrel Strength. On the palate, things are surprisingly bright and lively and quite sweet. Notes of caramel-covered green apple, orange blossom honey, and overripe berries are lush, presenting a silkily textured sip. A gentle warming heat arrives mid palate and cascades into a long finish of candied orange slices and soft baking spice. The nose and palate are a bit of a Jekyll & Hyde experience, but it makes for a truly memorable whiskey. Those lucky enough to locate a bottle won’t be disappointed. Plus, they get to count it toward their charitable contributions for the year.

116 proof.

A- / $399 / wyomingwhiskey.com

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