Rating 95
Style
American Whiskey
Whiskey
Produced In Indiana, Vermont
United States
ABV 52.4%
Availability Limited
Price $600.00 
Reviewed By
Reviewed 2025-10-23

WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame Straight Rye Whiskey Review

Every year a new edition of WhistlePig’s crown jewel, most-allocated rye comes out, and every year, I think to myself: “This is ridiculous. This is a gimmick. This is absurd! There’s no way it could possibly be good!” Whether it’s The Boss Hog VII: Magellan’s Atlantic (2020) finished in Spanish Oak and South American teakwood barrels; The Boss Hog VII: Lapulapu’s Pacific (2021) finished in Philippine rum casks; or last year’s The Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut (2024) finished in Thandai barrels.

They all come finished in ridiculous storage vessels — what even is a Thandai barrel?! — with poetic names, comically ornate pewter bottle stoppers, and overall concepts always toeing a line between cultural appreciation and appropriation. (In fact, should I have been mad they turned Moses into a pig for The Boss Hog X?)

I think it was The Boss Hog IX, released in 2022, that finally broke me, though. Siren’s Song, as it was called, was finished in Greek fig nectar and tentura barrels. Come on! There’s no way it could be good. I even had to Google “tentura barrels.” (It’s a Greek spiced liqueur.) My sample sat in my home bar for weeks before I finally tried it. And son of a gun, it was delicious. I’ve never doubted The Boss Hog again.

And thus, here we have this year’s edition, Feather & Flame, inspired by two supposed ancient Aztec drinks of the gods: pulque, fermented agave sap; and xocolatl, a bitter and spicy drink made from cacao beans.

Well-aged rye whiskey sourced from MGP in Indiana — most recent Boss Hogs have been sourced from Alberta Distillers in Canada — spends its secondary maturation in barrels seasoned with pulque curado crafted from agave, cacao, and Mexican chiltepín, guajillo, and pasilla peppers.

“Pulque and xocolatl are two powerful flavors in central Mexico. Pulque’s continuous fermentation process means it has to be consumed quickly before it spoils, and xocolatl doesn’t match what most people think of as ‘chocolate,’” says Meghan Ireland, chief blender at WhistlePig. “We embraced the strength and power of the flavors and created the world’s first whiskey finished in pulque curado de cacao barrels to bring a rich, savory, aromatic, and earthy elevation to the complex character of rye whiskey.”

The nose has the classic MGP 95/5 rye herbal notes, somewhat betraying what is yet to come. On the palate this is clearly rye, spicy and sharp, with hints of citrus zest, though it’s nicely balanced with sweeter notes of Werther’s Original and Mexican hot chocolate. The finish is pleasant and lingering, with the chili peppers tickling the back of your throat.

Yet again, The Boss Hog had fooled me. I expected something more cloying, dessert-y, and over-the-top. This is hardly that and if any rye haters expect a sweet treat, with the finish covering up the sophisticated baking spice notes, that is not what you get. This is beautifully nuanced, eminently drinkable, and surprising in each sip.

I have to yet again admit it. For the 12th year in a row, The Boss Hog remains the king.

WhistlePig Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame Rating

95/100

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95
POINTS
WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame Straight Rye Whiskey
Every year a new edition of WhistlePig’s crown jewel, most-allocated rye comes out, and every year, I think to myself: “This is ridiculous. This is a gimmick. This is absurd! There’s no way it could possibly be good!” Whether it’s The Boss Hog VII: Magellan’s Atlantic (2020) finished in Spanish Oak and South American teakwood barrels; The Boss Hog VII: Lapulapu’s Pacific (2021) finished in Philippine rum casks; or last year’s The Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut (2024) finished in Thandai barrels. They all come finished in ridiculous storage vessels — what even is a Thandai barrel?! — with poetic names, comically ornate pewter bottle stoppers, and overall concepts always toeing a line between cultural appreciation and appropriation. (In fact, should I have been mad they turned Moses into a pig for The Boss Hog X?) I think it was The Boss Hog IX, released in 2022, that finally broke me, though. Siren’s Song, as it was called, was finished in Greek fig nectar and tentura barrels. Come on! There’s no way it could be good. I even had to Google “tentura barrels.” (It’s a Greek spiced liqueur.) My sample sat in my home bar for weeks before I finally tried it. And son of a gun, it was delicious. I’ve never doubted The Boss Hog again. And thus, here we have this year’s edition, Feather & Flame, inspired by two supposed ancient Aztec drinks of the gods: pulque, fermented agave sap; and xocolatl, a bitter and spicy drink made from cacao beans. Well-aged rye whiskey sourced from MGP in Indiana — most recent Boss Hogs have been sourced from Alberta Distillers in Canada — spends its secondary maturation in barrels seasoned with pulque curado crafted from agave, cacao, and Mexican chiltepín, guajillo, and pasilla peppers. “Pulque and xocolatl are two powerful flavors in central Mexico. Pulque’s continuous fermentation process means it has to be consumed quickly before it spoils, and xocolatl doesn’t match what most people think of as ‘chocolate,’” says Meghan Ireland, chief blender at WhistlePig. “We embraced the strength and power of the flavors and created the world’s first whiskey finished in pulque curado de cacao barrels to bring a rich, savory, aromatic, and earthy elevation to the complex character of rye whiskey.” The nose has the classic MGP 95/5 rye herbal notes, somewhat betraying what is yet to come. On the palate this is clearly rye, spicy and sharp, with hints of citrus zest, though it’s nicely balanced with sweeter notes of Werther’s Original and Mexican hot chocolate. The finish is pleasant and lingering, with the chili peppers tickling the back of your throat. Yet again, The Boss Hog had fooled me. I expected something more cloying, dessert-y, and over-the-top. This is hardly that and if any rye haters expect a sweet treat, with the finish covering up the sophisticated baking spice notes, that is not what you get. This is beautifully nuanced, eminently drinkable, and surprising in each sip. I have to yet again admit it. For the 12th year in a row, The Boss Hog remains the king.

WhistlePig Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame Rating

95/100

Reviewed On: 10-23-2025
95
POINTS
WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame Straight Rye Whiskey
Every year a new edition of WhistlePig’s crown jewel, most-allocated rye comes out, and every year, I think to myself: “This is ridiculous. This is a gimmick. This is absurd! There’s no way it could possibly be good!” Whether it’s The Boss Hog VII: Magellan’s Atlantic (2020) finished in Spanish Oak and South American teakwood barrels; The Boss Hog VII: Lapulapu’s Pacific (2021) finished in Philippine rum casks; or last year’s The Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut (2024) finished in Thandai barrels. They all come finished in ridiculous storage vessels — what even is a Thandai barrel?! — with poetic names, comically ornate pewter bottle stoppers, and overall concepts always toeing a line between cultural appreciation and appropriation. (In fact, should I have been mad they turned Moses into a pig for The Boss Hog X?) I think it was The Boss Hog IX, released in 2022, that finally broke me, though. Siren’s Song, as it was called, was finished in Greek fig nectar and tentura barrels. Come on! There’s no way it could be good. I even had to Google “tentura barrels.” (It’s a Greek spiced liqueur.) My sample sat in my home bar for weeks before I finally tried it. And son of a gun, it was delicious. I’ve never doubted The Boss Hog again. And thus, here we have this year’s edition, Feather & Flame, inspired by two supposed ancient Aztec drinks of the gods: pulque, fermented agave sap; and xocolatl, a bitter and spicy drink made from cacao beans. Well-aged rye whiskey sourced from MGP in Indiana — most recent Boss Hogs have been sourced from Alberta Distillers in Canada — spends its secondary maturation in barrels seasoned with pulque curado crafted from agave, cacao, and Mexican chiltepín, guajillo, and pasilla peppers. “Pulque and xocolatl are two powerful flavors in central Mexico. Pulque’s continuous fermentation process means it has to be consumed quickly before it spoils, and xocolatl doesn’t match what most people think of as ‘chocolate,’” says Meghan Ireland, chief blender at WhistlePig. “We embraced the strength and power of the flavors and created the world’s first whiskey finished in pulque curado de cacao barrels to bring a rich, savory, aromatic, and earthy elevation to the complex character of rye whiskey.” The nose has the classic MGP 95/5 rye herbal notes, somewhat betraying what is yet to come. On the palate this is clearly rye, spicy and sharp, with hints of citrus zest, though it’s nicely balanced with sweeter notes of Werther’s Original and Mexican hot chocolate. The finish is pleasant and lingering, with the chili peppers tickling the back of your throat. Yet again, The Boss Hog had fooled me. I expected something more cloying, dessert-y, and over-the-top. This is hardly that and if any rye haters expect a sweet treat, with the finish covering up the sophisticated baking spice notes, that is not what you get. This is beautifully nuanced, eminently drinkable, and surprising in each sip. I have to yet again admit it. For the 12th year in a row, The Boss Hog remains the king.

WhistlePig Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame Rating

95/100

Reviewed On: 10-23-2025