WhistlePig Boss Hog VIII: LapuLapu’s Pacific Review | Whiskey Raiders
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WhistlePig Boss Hog VIII: LapuLapu’s Pacific

  • Distiller:

    Undisclosed

  • Bottler:

    WhistlePig

  • ABV:

    53.2%

  • Age:

    17 Years

  • Price:
    $$$$$
  • Raided Score: 90
  • Publication: The Bourbon Finder
  • Excerpt: Whistlepig has a winner here. I thought last year’s Boss Hog VII was interesting and quite tasty, but this dives deeper down the rabbit hole for me. The complexity, the evolving flavors on the palate, and the unique aspects of this release place it very high in the scoring chart for me.
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 87
  • Publication: Distiller
  • Excerpt: There's heat upfront on a dry finish, with astringent oak, cedar, leather, and final notes of spicy rye, menthol, and expressed orange peel.
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 95
  • Publication: Whiskey Raiders
  • Excerpt: Rum being the diverse playing field that it is can introduce a lot of doubt and confusion about how the effects may impact the base whiskey. That said, this release from WhistlePig is a winner.
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 95
  • Publication: Drink Hacker
  • Excerpt: It may not be as insanely complex as prior releases, but it’s arguably my favorite Boss Hog release.
  • Read Full Review

Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. Please see the FAQ for more.

  • Intro:

    Distilled in Canada, shipped to Vermont, then finished in rum casks: Whistle Pig LapuLapu's Pacific is the 8th chapter in the Boss Hog book. A barrel proof rye whiskey that's finished on rum casks from the Philippines, this should be a real trip after the magic of Magellan's adventures in Boss Hog VII. I've confirmed the rye stock for this release is 17 years old, despite the lack of a formal age statement, and this release is bottled at barrel proof as well.

  • Nose:

    Powerful and dense, loaded with maple, rye spice, bold clove and spice drops. Poweful, the rum is present but not dominating. It adds quite a bit of complexity to the nose.

  • Taste:

    Spicy and sweet, a perfect yin and yang. Bold clove, spice, pepper, a touch of medicinal cherry, a touch of spearmint and a bold orange peel note blends nicely before maple, oak, tannin and sweet cream rolls in. Back palate returns to spicy, this powerful rye refuses to go quietly, working hand in hand with the rum finish.

  • Finish:

    Long finish, rich and powerful once more. There's no doubt it's rye, there's no doubt there's rum in there, but the two work together well. Bold, spicy at first, breaks after some time to give way to a long, sweet, maple and cracked pepper finish.

  • Overall:

    Rum being the diverse playing field that it is can introduce a lot of doubt and confusion about how the effects may impact the base whiskey. That said, this release from WhistlePig is a winner. Chapter 8 in the series demonstrates restraint, combining two powerful experiences into a compelling release that drinks extremely well.

  • Score:

    8

  • By t8ke
  • Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.

  • Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
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