Even if you’re not a fan of the colder months, you’ve probably been looking forward to the start of autumn and the return of big, bold whiskies like High West’s Midwinter Night’s Dram. Starting this week, it’s back on shelves with its 13th batch.
High West Midwinter Night’s Dram Act 13 is a limited edition annual release that combines High West’s Rendezvous Rye with tawny and ruby port barrels. Rendezvous Rye originally was distilled by MGP, but in recent years High West has been using its own distillate in the blend as well, creating a mashbill that is a combination of 95 percent rye and 5 percent malt from MGP and 80 percent rye with 20 percent malt from High West.
Midwinter Night’s Dram has been the most highly collectible series ever produced by High West largely due to the pleasant flavor shifts from batch to batch. These variations mostly correspond to the shifting blend ratios year to year. While High West uses rye finished in both tawny and ruby port barrels, they often use different ratios batch to batch because port barrels don’t deliver the same flavors every time.
Over the 13 years that Midwinter Night’s Dram has been on the market, the 13 acts have had varying flavor profiles. Some Midwinter releases are raisiny and sweet. Some are nutty and chocolatey, while others are inky and syrupy. High West has also experimented with three-port blends, and has previously released a white port version. Midwinter Night’s Dram The Encore was an experimental run of the distillery’s typical port-finished whiskey that used exclusively white port casks — something the distillery had initially created to maybe blend into other Midwinter releases, before realizing that it was too good on its own.
Sadly, it doesn’t look like we’re seeing a return of “The Encore” for 2025, but OG Midwinter Night’s Dram has never disappointed. Tasting notes for this year’s batch include notes of “crushed blackberries, mandarin zest, fig jam, allspice, and old vine zinfandel” on the nose, flavors of chocolate cherries, cinnamon bark, cigar and berry preserves. The finish is “clove-studded orange flesh,” with ginger and spiced chai.
In other words, it’s a rich holiday profile of mulled wine spices and deep berry juiciness, with just a little background spice. “MWND” is available nationwide — a relief to me and many others, since in recent years some of High West’s best bottles have had shifting availability. With a $150 price tag, it’s got to be on your radar for the upcoming holiday season. Look for it in stores nationally, or purchase it here.
G. Clay Whittaker is a Maxim contributor covering lifestyle, whiskey, cannabis and travel. His work has also appeared in Bon Appetit, Men’s Journal, Cigar Aficionado, Playboy and Esquire. Subscribe to his newsletter Drinks & Stuff for whiskey reviews and trends, perspectives on drinks, and stuff.