High West Midwinter Night’s Dram Act 13 Review
In-Depth Review
If you’re like me, High West’s Midwinter Night’s Dram has become a tradition around Christmas time. While a spicy, warming rye always seems appropriate for cold winter nights, Midwinter’s finishing in Ruby and Tawny Port casks has always delivered a classic spicy fruit forward experience that felt right at home with gingerbread and Christmas cakes. But after a few years of struggling with pricing (let’s be honest, they got a bit too ambitious), High West is back with Midwinter Night’s Dram Act 13 to show that they remember what it takes to deserve a spot at your holiday feast.
Released annually in late fall, it’s hard to believe High West is already up to Act 13 (representing 13 years’ worth of releases) but it’s good to know that the recipe stays the same after all these years. It still uses High West’s Rendezvous Rye that’s then finished in a combination of Ruby and Tany Port casks before being bottled at 49.3%, without chill filtration. This particular bottle hails from Act 13, Scene 7, and retails for around $150. Should it make an appearance in your holiday plans? Let’s dive in and find out.
Age: Aged 4 -10 years
ABV: 49.3%
Cask: Finished in Ruby and Tawny Port casks
MSRP: $149.99
Distillery Name: High West Distillery
Review Date: 12/26/25
Color: Ruby Red Caramel
Nose: The nose starts off promising with notes of Crème brûlée, raspberry compote, spiced hot chocolate and orange liqueur. It drifts between jammy fruits and a dry rye spice, with some earthy rye bread that pops through after a few minutes in the glass. The nose is promising but falls short of the more decadent dessert-like experience that previous iterations have.
Palate: The palate is all big rye spice up front with green mint, eucalyptus, and cherrywood eventually giving way to milk chocolate, cherry syrup, and dried oak. The mouthfeel is thin and watery, and struggles to emulate the syrupy, thick, rich textures of previous releases. Even the heat feels a bit more restrained this year - replaced by more oak spice than heat.
Finish: The finish is subtle and short, with notes of spiced nuts, vanilla, fresh baked bread, and mint.
Final Thoughts: After years of growing demand and surging pricing, High West seems to have finally whiffed with their latest Midwinter Night’s Dram release. Act 13 struggles to find its footing with a lackluster mouthfeel and an absence of the classic rich port wine character. Past releases felt like Christmas in a glass – a once-a-year release that truly felt reflective of the holiday season. But this time? It just feels fine. It feels more like a standard finished rye release than anything justifying its $150 MSRP – and left me wondering if High West had forgotten to save some of their best stuff to include in this release. While it’s a perfectly fine whisky, this isn’t the Midwinter you’ve grown used to. So, if you’re still on the fence about the high price, Act 13 might be the year to skip.
