{"product_id":"high-west-midwinter-nights-dram-act-1","title":"High West Midwinter Nights Dram Act 1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Midwinter Night's Dram Act 1. High West — the inaugural release of one of American craft whiskey's most celebrated annual series: Utah straight rye whiskey finished in French oak port wine casks and French Limousin oak, a bottle that launched a tradition and now represents the rarest entry in the Midwinter Night's Dram archive.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen High West released Act 1, the port-finished rye category barely existed in American whiskey. The concept was borrowed from Scotch — where port pipe finishing had long been a prestige technique — and applied to Utah straight rye with results that changed what collectors expected from High West. The port cask contribution: dark cherry, fig, dried plum, and a sweetness that complements rather than overwhelms the rye's inherent spice. Act 1 is now a museum piece as much as a whiskey — proof of concept for an entire series, and the bottle that started it all.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e Brandied cherries, Calimyrna figs, allspice, grapefruit zest, French oak, vanilla caramel\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dark cherry, cocoa, cinnamon, spiced plum, rye spice, port sweetness, dried fruit\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Warming rye spice, dark cherry, cocoa, lingering port sweetness\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecs\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDistillery:\u003c\/strong\u003e High West Distillery, Park City, Utah\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eStyle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Straight Rye Whiskey, Port Cask Finished\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e French oak port wine casks + French Limousin oak\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSeries:\u003c\/strong\u003e A Midwinter Night's Dram — Act 1 (Inaugural Release)\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eABV:\u003c\/strong\u003e 49.3% (98.6 Proof)\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 750ml\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrowse the full \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/woodencork.com\/collections\/high-west\"\u003eHigh West collection at Wooden Cork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWhy is Act 1 so expensive?\u003c\/strong\u003e As the inaugural release of the series, Act 1 is the rarest and most historically significant bottle in the collection — demand from collectors far outpaces the fixed supply of original bottles.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eIs Act 1 still drinkable or is it purely a collector's bottle?\u003c\/strong\u003e It remains an exceptional whiskey — the port cask finish has only integrated further with time. But at current prices, most buyers treat it as a collector's asset.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHow does Act 1 differ from later Acts?\u003c\/strong\u003e Each Act in the series varies by blend ratios, age statements, and cask selection — Act 1 reflects the original formula before refinements introduced in later releases.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why is Act 1 so expensive?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"As the inaugural release of the series, Act 1 is the rarest and most historically significant bottle — demand from collectors far outpaces fixed supply.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is Act 1 still drinkable or purely a collector's bottle?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It remains an exceptional whiskey — the port cask finish has only integrated further with time. Most buyers at current prices treat it as a collector's asset.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How does Act 1 differ from later Acts?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Each Act varies by blend ratios, age statements, and cask selection — Act 1 reflects the original formula before later refinements.\"}}]}\u003c\/script\u003e","brand":"High West","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49128326725884,"sku":"High-West-Midwinter-Nights-Dram-Act-1","price":4559.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0800\/6605\/2348\/files\/high-west-midwinter-nights-dram.png?v=1779559594","url":"https:\/\/thebourbonvaulthq.com\/products\/high-west-midwinter-nights-dram-act-1","provider":"THE BOURBONVAULT HQ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}