"...this blend from High N’ Wicked is a bona fide QPR star ... the style is unbelievably charming for the price and the age of the components." - Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer
High N' Wicked has become a runaway fan-favorite among our spirits clientele in the past year or so, with several bottlings that have sold out multiple times over. Founded by two veterans of spirits giant Brown-Forman, this independent bottler has a made a name for themselves in the craft whiskey scene by their access to superb stocks from the country's best sources. Their series of highly limited, age-stated releases have been cult collector's hits since their debut in 2020, while the 5-Year-Old Straight Bourbon offers serious bang for the buck. Now you can add another "stunning value star" to their list of must-try offerings.
The newly released, limited-edition Warlander is a blend of three- and four-year-old Kentucky ryes along with a four-year-old Kentucky sweet mash bourbon from undisclosed distilleries (we can tell you that if you follow the trail through the Kentucky wilderness, you'll find the sweet mash source). If you're a fan High West's Bourye, this is right up your alley, without the $125 price tag. It offers an excellently balanced profile that shows off its rye base, tempered by the easy-going character of the sweet mash bourbon component. It's the ultimate session sipper. If you're already a fan of High N' Wicked, you know that their sourcing is top-tier in the industry given their connections, and that pedigree shows through in an utterly charming dram that way over-delivers for the price.
Right in line with the 5-Year-Old Straight Bourbon, this blend from High N’ Wicked is a bona fide QPR star. Crafted from three- and four-year-old ryes and a four-year-old sweet-mash bourbon, the style is unbelievably charming for the price and the age of the components. Pretty, approachable aromas of apple fritter, apple butter, and woody herbs give a nice indication of both components in the blend. Soft, minty rye notes quickly emerge, along with pie crust, raw cinnamon, and sandalwood, with a top note of wild, brambly forest fruit. The round, easy-going texture is lifted by a touch of heat, which makes a great foundation for solid red fruit, cookie dough, and light milk chocolate flavors. Like on the nose, it takes a minute for the rye spice to kick into gear, but it’s undeniably present once it does. That forest berry note balances the minty lift nicely, as the whiskey’s solid weight carries through a finish of leaf litter, light tobacco, and dried pine. If it weren’t a limited edition, it would definitely warrant a prominent place in your go-to rotation. That said, get it while you can.
92 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Aug 2026)
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