Jack Daniel's 2023 Special Release Twice Barreled Heritage Barrel Tennessee Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $70

- 100 Proof

- 8 years, 4 mos.

- Tennessee

While Jack Daniel's has seemingly shifted focus towards its age stated Tennessee Whiskey (and for good reason, those are incredible!), we'd all be remiss if we forgot about these initial Heritage Barrel limited releases that seemed to open a lot of people's eyes to just how amazing some of the stuff coming out of Jack Daniel's really is.

This was the second rye that Jack released as part of the Heritage Barrel series. It's "twice barreled," but now days that would be more readily recognized as a "toasted barrel," as its second maturation was in "heavy-toast, low-char heritage barrels."  Given that I've had other toasted barrel ryes that I've loved (Michter's and Elijah Craig, to name two), I didn't think twice about picking this bottle up. 

On the nose I got some of those great notes that made me love rye -- a sort of wintergreen mintyness, along with a light licorice note and a spicy cinnamon note. These are the kinds of flavors that made me fall in love with rye in the first place. It had a rich molasses sweetness on the nose as well, along with a hint of unsweetened vanilla.

I couldn't wait to dive in after pouring my first glass.  After smelling this from the bottle, I anticipated a certain level of sweetness that was never really there. Rather, it was full of rich and earthy flavors. I got licorice or anise almost right away, along with that spicy cinnamon hitting the tip of my tongue. It was also very vanilla forward, but, again, that unsweetened vanilla.

While this rye didn't sit in the barrel long, it was double barreled, and the oak certainly came through. It wasn't bitter or drying, but just added another layer of earthy notes. That oak was complemented by a pine note as well, a bit resin-like, but which seemed to go great with the unsweetened vanilla.

I really did miss the minty note that I got off the nose. I was excited when that aroma first hit, but then a bit disappointed when I didn't get that note on the palate. However, I did get a sweet walnut note that was a very pleasant surprise. It kept with the earthy notes, but added a sweet, almost candied element that was very welcome. As a result, this really seemed to sweeten up on the finish, completing the ride in a way.

Although I wanted that mint, this was still a very fun whiskey, and I really couldn't put my glass down. It was earthy and punchy and yet softly lowered you to the ground with a sweet finish. 

Grade: B+

Doc Swinson's Exploratory Cask Summery Retreat White Port Cask Finished Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $60

- 105.2 Proof

- 7 years

- Release No. 24-003

- Indiana

I can't say I've had a lot from Doc Swinson's. But, I have had a few of their Exploratory Cask series bottlings, and I've really enjoyed them (not to mention their amazing easy-cracking wax!!).  The Cognac-finished bourbon was absolutely delicious.

So, when a handful of new offerings hit the shelves, all with sharp, newly designed labels, I knew I'd be grabbing one of them. And this one stood out as something worth a go.  Starting with 7 year MGP rye and bottled at cask strength, boxes were quickly being checked. The relatively modest price certainly helped as well. And, it piqued my curiosity a bit with the white Port finish.  So in my cart it went!

Up front on the nose, I got a little bit of a red or purple grape note. It was certainly sweet, and smelled . . . juicy??  I'm not really sure how one smells "juicy," but it was there. I also got a bit of dark, rich cherry. However, that was balanced out by a light bitter note, kind of a mix between red wine vinegar and oak. It wasn't strong, but it was there enough to be noticeable.

Interestingly, the flavor didn't necessary fall in line with the nose. Right away I found the good underlying rye notes, including cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla, along with a light minty note. There was even a good peppery spice to it right away on the tip of my tongue.

But, the Port notes quickly found their way in, as dark fruits like plum and black raspberry took centerstage.  While it was very fruit-forward, it was never super sweet. Rather, fresh notes of raspberry and even cherry and blackberry dominated, giving it a nice sweet and tart combination.

On the finish, the rye seemed to push its way through again, providing a great cinnamon heat on the finish, along with a light dark chocolate note. As each swallow faded away, I also got light lingering notes of maple syrup and even anise at times. 

This was absolutely an interesting bottle, with the rye taking the spotlight at the beginning and the end, and the white Port finish providing robust dark fruit notes throughout the middle. It was a pretty fun ride, and a successful "exploration" by Doc Swinson's.  

Grade: B+

BHAKTA 2013 Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Calvados Casks

VITALS:

- $150

- 107.4 Proof

- 11 Years

- Indiana

Bhakta is a brand that is pretty new to me, and I've been making it a point to learn a bit more about them. And, I have to say, I'm intrigued.  BHAKTA Spirits is a brand started by Raj Peter Bhakta, who also founded WhistlePig. Apparently after he sold WhistlePig, he found himself in the Armagnac region of France, where he proceeded to purchase a farm/vineyard, and with it some stocks of very well-aged Armagnacs and other spirits.

While this particular bottle is not an Armagnac, it is, nonetheless, a rye finished in calvados barrels. The rye has a bottling date of 2013 (Bhakta tends to operate in vintages rather than age statements), making it a 10 year whiskey before spending 75 days in the secondary cask, a Calvados selected from Chateau BHAKTA (which I assume is the name of the farm he purchased).   

After popping the glass cork (I really hate those), I immediately got the traditional notes of rye that I'd expect, with a healthy amount of cinnamon, and even some mint and pine resin. There's no denying it's an older MGP rye. The Calvados notes weren't super strong, at least not on the nose.  I did get a bit of a cooked apple sauce note, but it was pretty faint.  

The flavor was great, primarily because, despite the finishing, it was still unquestionably a really good rye.  Vanilla and cinnamon were right up front, with the spice from the cinnamon lingering throughout.  There was a light minty note, but not nearly as pronounced as I expected. That pine resin was a little more forward, along with an oak note that added a bit of bitterness.

It was that oak note that I think made the Calvados finishing work, as it added a sweetness that countered some of that bitterness, and vice versa. It never leaned too sweet or too bitter.  And the ever-present cinnamon note really seemed to work well with the apple brandy notes.

The only criticism I have about the finish is that it didn't seem to last very long.  It had great notes of cinnamon and baked apple and sweet vanilla.  But, oddly, it just seemed to disappear pretty quickly.  But, if that's my only quibble, this was still a delicious pour, telling me that, even if finished rye is not their bread and butter, they still appear to know what they're doing.

Grade: B+

Whistlepig PiggyBack Alfa Romeo F1 Team G-Force Finished Single Barrel Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $45

- 96.77 Proof

- NAS

- Vermont & Canada

Okay, so this is kind of a weird one.  And, while clearly gimmicky, it went so weird that I just had to try it. Luckily the price made it easy to do a bit of experimenting. And, apparently, experimenting is what this bottle is all about. 

First, this is one of the more unique finishes I've seen, as it was finished in lychee and tea barrels.  I'm not going to lie, I had to Google "lychee."  I had zero frame of reference here, and I've never had what is apparently a sweet and floral tropical fruit. And it's still unclear to me whether there are two separate finishes here (lychee and tea) that were then blended together, or whether the barrel previously held lychee and tea together. Either way, it was a unique finish, and on top of that, while finishing, the barrels were subjected to G-forces.  I'm not sure exactly how, but I just imagine the barrels being strapped to the back of an F1 car on a loop track for days on end. Probably not what happened here, but the bottle doesn't give me much more to work with. 

I popped the cork and I was immediately hit with a bubble gum note. This was like those Double Bubbles that used to disappoint me when I went trick or treating as a kid. Or, like the artificial bubble gum flavoring of bubble gum soda (as opposed to organic bubble gum, I guess???).  Remember Hubba Bubba Bubblegum Soda?  Well, I do, and this smelled like that!  I tried to find other notes, but really this just smelled like bubblegum. Already one of the weirdest whiskey experiences I've had, and I hadn't even tasted it yet.

But, not surprisingly, it tasted like . . . bubblegum.  At least there were other flavors to go along with, however, including bright strawberry and raspberry notes.  This was incredibly fruit forward, and it was all bright, sweet berry notes.

On the back end the tea notes came through, more prominently than expected, actually. They provided a bit of an earthy note that gave an interesting contrast. I did get some traditional rye notes, including a light minty flavor, as well as a bit of a cinnamon spice on the finish. Those notes, however, were easily overpowered by the strong, fruity bubblegum note that dominated throughout.

This was a weird whiskey, no doubt about it. As weird as it was, though, the consensus from everyone who tried it was that it was "not bad" to "good."  Good for what it was, anyway. Interestingly, I did find myself from time to time in the mood for this bubblegum whiskey, and when in that mood I found I really enjoyed it, weirdness and all.

Grade: B

High West Binny's Barrel Select Double Rye! Blended Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Cognac Barrels

VITALS:

- $70

- 105.4 Proof

- Finished 15 mos.

- Barrel #25202

- Utah

There once was a time that I was snatching up every single High West Barrel Select that I could find. It seemed as though they were producing winner after winner of finished rye in all sorts of creative casks. Of course some were amazing and some were decent, but they all were good. 

It had been a while since I had seen any of the Double Rye! barrel selects, so when this Cognac finish hit Binny's, I made it a point to grab one. It's a combination that has worked so many times in the past that I figured I couldn't really go wrong. Unfortunately, for the first time out of the probably dozens of High West Barrel Selects I've tried, this one fell flat.  

The nose came off as vibrant and fruity. I got notes of melon and honeydew. There was also kind of a fresh pear note.  It also had a significant sweetness to it, kind of like a honey note. What I didn't get, though, and what I expected, were some of the traditional rye notes.  I got no spice, no mint, no pine. Quite frankly, from the nose it seemed as though the finish really took over.

The flavor likewise came off as sweet, and, perhaps given those fruit notes from the nose, a bit "young."  I always find what I call an overripe apple note in young craft whiskeys, and that's what I was getting here.  It's always been a bit of an off-putting note to me. 

The sweetness was that same honey note I got from the nose, and the pear note really took over as well. it was kind of like a fruit cocktail, but made with fruits like honeydew, melon and pear, rather than your usual oranges, pineapples and cherries. While that sounds good as a fruit cocktail, I wasn't a fan of it as a whiskey.

What was interesting is that those rye notes that I was missing on the nose finally made their appearance, but really only on the finish. It was there that I got a bit of spice, kind of like a hot pepper spice rather than the usual cinnamon notes. There was also a sweet minty note that balanced out that spice. The finish was actually quite enjoyable, and I just wish what I was getting there had been present throughout.

I don't know if the finish was too long or what, but this is the first time I can recall one of these single barrels falling flat. It just didn't really do it for me, and I hope this isn't a sign of some downward trend.

Grade: C

Elijah Craig Toasted Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:
- $50

- 94 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

I feel like I'm usually up on new releases, particularly mainstay products from the big producers. Yet, this one caught me by surprise. In fact, when I was in the store and saw it on the shelf, I initially walked right past it thinking it was the toasted bourbon. I did a double take, as something was a bit different about the label, and I saw it was a toasted rye.

While I'm not big on toasted bourbon, I've has some positive past experiences with toasted ryes, so I didn't even bother with researching it.  I had no clue if this was a special or limited release or something that was going to be around consistently. I just put it in my basket without a second thought, and cracked the bottle as soon as I got home, just to satisfy my curiosity.

The nose provided a great mix of sweet and spice. I got a bit of a sweet malty note, as well as a distinct cinnamon note. But it didn't come across as spicy, but rather sweet cinnamon, kind of like the inside of one of those Fireball hard candies I remember from grade school.  There was also a bit of sweet spearmint to it as well.

The flavor brought that same balance of sweet and spice as well, and perhaps leaned a bit more to the sweeter side.  There was an undertone of shortbread cookie that I absolutely loved. Layered on top of that was a sweet honey note as well as a woody, earthy pine note. Yet it never came across as bitter.

There were malty notes, but sweet. It reminded me a bit of Honey Nut Cheerios. But along with that was a vanilla note, adding a sort of frosting quality. There was also a bright minty note, but, again, always leaned sweet.  It was that sweet mint and vanilla that really seemed to stand out on the finish, and I think that's what I liked most about this bottle.

I mention "sweet" a lot, but it was never overly sweet. It was just on the sweeter end of the rye spectrum. But it was delicious, and I was very impressed by what is otherwise now a mainstay on the shelf. I was surprised as the grade that I couldn't help but give this, but I liked it too much to give it anything lower.

Grade: A-

Templeton 4 Year Rye

VITALS:

- $28

- 80 Proof

- 4 Years

- Indiana

Okay, this is one of those whiskeys that is just always available at nearly any place (at least by me) that sells whiskey. I grabbed this off the shelf at Meier for the simple reason that it was a bottle I've never had before. After all, it's a four year old rye from a smaller distiller, it's sourced from MGP, and it's bottled at only 80 proof. It doesn't exactly scream, "Buy me!" 

But, I wanted something new, and, quite frankly due to requests from visitors at my house, I needed some lower proof options. So, I picked this up at a very easy to swallow price of $28.  I figure, at the very least, it will set the record for the shortest blog post title.

The nose on this one was surprisingly fruity. At different times I got all sorts of different notes from apple to pear to plum.  But, it wasn't all sweet. There was a slight resin note that added some earthiness, as well as a bit of a cinnamon spice, I'm sure coming from the rye. It was kind of like an earthy fruit salad (which sounds really weird). That said, those fruity notes did make it smell a bit young.

Not surprisingly, the first thing I noted when I took a sip was that this was thin and watered down. That tends to be the case with 80-proofers. However, after a moment the flavors tend to make their way to the front, and in this case that charge was led by a fresh pear note. There was a bit of spice to accompany it, like cinnamon and perhaps a little bit of chili powder, but this was all fresh pear.

The finish, despite the watery texture, was actually surprisingly long.  Here the cinnamon spice seemed to take much more of a foothold, leaving a spicy note at the back of my throat.  Coupled with the pear or even apple notes, I did find a cinnamon apple combination that I wish was more prevalent throughout, even if it gave of those "young" vibes.

This is one of those whiskeys where I knew what I was getting when I bought the bottle. And, both good and bad, it was exactly what I expected.

Grade: C

Bulleit 12 Year 95 Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $50

- 92 Proof

- 12 Years

- Indiana

I've noticed what I hope is a growing trend in the rye section of my liquor store lately.  I've been seeing more and more ryes with age statements in, or at least approaching, double digits.  There are still only a handful out there, but Knob Creek has recently released its 10-year age-stated rye, and shortly before that Bulleit released this, their 12 year rye.

I'm an absolute sucker for aged rye, so this was a bit of a no-brainer for me to grab, particularly at a very approachable $50.  The proof isn't particularly high, but I'm willing to look past that when they're putting out products that were given a bit more time in the barrel.  Even if it is MGP rye, which is still somewhat plentiful, there still just isn't a whole lot of well-aged rye on the shelf, and I hope this is a sign of a trend in that direction!

The nose was fairly standard of what I've come to expect from MGP rye. It had a great cinnamon spice to it, as well as a sweet and soft vanilla undertone. And, of course, there was a bit of mint on the nose to tell you this came from Indiana. That said, these are all welcome notes that I've come to love in a rye.

Perhaps it's due to the lower proof, but when I took my first sip my impression was that this is sweeter than most MGP ryes I've had. Sure, the cinnamon spice and even a little bit of black pepper spice were there. It also had a familiar mint note to it. But, the sweetness took center stage. It had almost a vanilla icing note to it that, while not bad, kind of surprised me. 

That sweetness is what seemed to linger the most on the finish. Any cinnamon spice seemed to vanish, leaving just that sweet vanilla note and a hint of that initial mint note. The finish was fleeting, however, and didn't leave even those sweet vanilla notes to hang around very long.

All in all, I thought this was a very tasty, albeit sweeter rye. While I wish it were a bit more robust, I really enjoyed the flavor, and I feel like the age allowed those flavors to meld and work together more than they otherwise would have at a younger age.

Grade: B

A. Overholt Monongahela Mash Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $40

- 95 Proof

- 4 Years

- Kentucky

I love finding new products on the shelf. I have a tendency to visit my local liquor store with considerable relativity, to the point that when something knew makes it on the shelf, I notice mostly due to the fact that something has changed, there's a new face in the crowd so to speak.

Even more exciting is finding something from one of the big boy distilleries that I wasn't even aware was coming out. Such was the case with this A. Overholt rye. Jim Beam's Overholt line has been around for quite some time now, and though it's made in Kentucky, does not state on its front label as such, as it seeks to re-create the traditional Pennsylvania rye. Such is the case here, which uses a Monongahela Mash of 80% rye and 20% soft malted barley. So, it's really an introduction of a new mashbill.  But still, it was something new and the price was reasonable enough.

On the nose I got notes of cherry cola along with a light black pepper. It's an interesting combination, but in a weird way it worked and I kind of liked it. There was a sweetness, but one that was tempered, kind of like a burnt sugar note. And behind that was a cedar note, like the cedar chests my grandparents used to have. It kind of swung both ways from me really liking it to me not being much of a fan, sometimes all in one sniff.

The 20% malt really showed up in the flavor. This had a malty backbone to it that provided a kind of breadiness, with notes of yeast and wheat bread. It certain made this a softer rye, what I would call a more approachable rye.

But, it had those rye notes as well.  Notably, I got a sort of fennel note that, while not a dominant note, was certainly a prominent note, one that you couldn't help but notice each sip. I also got notes of ginger and, while similar to fennel, different enough that I picked out a slight anise note.  This all provided a certain "bite" which contrasted with, and didn't necessarily complement, the strong barley tones.

The finish, however, was oddly quite enjoyable. There I was left with notes of cooked pear, providing almost a cinnamon cognac flavor on the finish. It came off sweeter on the finish than anywhere else, and those fennel and ginger notes seemed to just fade away. 

If the whole experience had been what I got on the finish, I would have loved this. But, The nose was a bit odd, and I didn't feel like the balance between the barley and rye notes was there. You could certainly pick out the notes from each, but it lacked a bit of cohesion.

Grade: B-

Old Overholt Cask Strength 10 Year Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:
- $100

- 121 Proof

- 10 Years

- Kentucky

This was one of those whiskeys that was nowhere on my radar when it came out. I'm usually on top of rye releases, especially those that are cask strength and age-stated. But, I had no clue that Beam was putting out a cask strength Old Overholt, not to mention one with an age statement in the double digits. 

So, I didn't even know I wanted one until I went over to a buddy's house and he had a bottle sitting on his kitchen table. It was one of those moments where I barely had taken off my jacket before I was popping the cork on that bottle to give it a try. Luckily for me, his wasn't the last one at the store, and I was able to get my hands on a bottle of my own. 

The nose was woody, but not overly oaky. It had a mix of oak, pine and sawdust. It also had a spicy but sweet cinnamon note to it. What stood out, however, was the rich and distinct notes of an old fashioned. I got a rich, dark cherry, like an Amarena cherry, along with a burnt orange note. Needless to say, it smelled delicious!

Luckily, it tasted just as good! Oddly, though, I wasn't overly impressed at first. The first couple pours I had of this rye I thought it was a good, solid rye, but it didn't necessarily wow me. But, pretty much every pour after that second one was fantastic!!

It definitely had some of those woody or oaky notes, and there was a bit of a pine resin note that you tend to get from aged ryes. Underscoring that, however, as a healthy amount of rich and sweet vanilla. It also had a peppery spice both right up front and on the finish that seemed to work well with the vanilla and pine notes. It really had the best of those traditional rye notes that I love.

On top of that, however, were rich, sweet and spicy cinnamon notes, giving a great mix of cinnamon roll and atomic fireball. It was sweet and spicy and rich, all at once.  And behind that was a distinct cooked peach note that I absolutely loved. At times this reminded me of a peach pie, with the cooked, spiced peaches, a bit of a pastry note, and cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled on top. I couldn't get enough of this note, and it is certainly what kept me constantly reaching for this bottle on my shelf.

The finish had that same sweet and spicy profile, with notes of cinnamon and black pepper mixed with vanilla, pine and that great cooked peach note. But here that cooked peach note really lingered, along with the vanilla note, leaving an incredible taste in my mouth long after each sip.

I feel like I've been sleeping on the Old Overholt line, and this release really gave me reason to never do that again. This was an outstanding rye, and I hope there are future releases.

Grade: A

Very Olde St. Nick Ancient Cask 8 Year Canadian Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $150

- 86.8 Proof

- 8 years

- Lot #16

- Canada

This is one of my first forays into Preservation Distillery's offerings. I had seen them floating around social media for quite a while, new revivals of old brands. They come with higher age statements, great looking packaging that reminds one of other very sought after whiskeys, and, of course a great story/label that uses words like "ancient cask" and "legendary rye."

But, what's hidden on the back is something I should have looked at before I made this purchase -- "Product of Canada."  This is a low proof, 8 year Canadian whiskey.  That doesn't exactly command the premium price that I paid back in 2020.  I made the mistake of getting excited over seeing these bottles hit Illinois shelves for the first time and not bothering to do my research. But, despite the wind being taken out of my sails, I figured at that point I had already bought it, I might as well drink it!

The nose was a healthy dose of cinnamon and sawdust. It had that light, woody smell that you get when working with a table saw.  It also had sweet bready notes that reminded me of Hawaiian rolls and even at times glazed donuts.  The long and short of it is it was very sweet with a bit of cinnamon.

On the palate it was also very sweet, but it was more of a brown sugar sweetness that dominated, and it told me fairly quickly that this was indeed a Canadian whiskey.  There was also a layer of vanilla underneath the brown sugar sweetness that gave it a bit of a dessert quality. Unfortunately, for me, it just leaned too sweet and I had a hard time getting past it.

I did get some other, more interesting notes, including the cinnamon that I was getting of the nose. That mostly came through on the back-end, and it was unfortunately fairly fleeting. I also got a bit of a cayenne note that added just a touch of spice.  That too was fleeting.

On the finish I was left with those sweet, bready notes coupled with the ever-present brown sugar. The finish was short-lived, though, disappearing on me almost immediately.

This bottle just didn't offer much more for me than standard fare Canadian whiskey. And every time I drank it and thought about the price, I just got angry. There is a reason these bottles just sit on shelves now. This was one-dimensional, overly sweet and way overpriced.

Grade: D

Old Scout Binny's Private Selection Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $50

- 114 Proof

- 5 Years

- Barrel No. 31905

- Indiana

This is one of those whiskeys where by now I pretty much know what I'm going to get. After all, this is a single barrel, cask strength bottling of MGP rye. This has stuff has been bottled under so many different labels, of course at varying ages and proofs, but almost always the 95/5 mashbill.

This is a single barrel, though, so it should have its own unique qualities. And, it was good enough to be selected by the tasters at Binny's (though if you look at number of private barrels sitting on the shelves at Binny's lately, it doesn't exactly scream discriminating).  So, what's another cask strength, single barrel MGP rye?? At least I know going in I'm going to to enjoy it!

And yet, when I first popped the cork, poured my glass and took a big whiff, I wasn't much of a fan of the nose. I got notes of dark chocolate and cherry cola. Good so far. But, what followed that were notes of bitter oak, and a healthy amount of pine-scented household cleaner. At first I thought it was just the typical pine note and I was blowing it out of proportion, but I definitely got that Pine-Sol note off of every single pour. 

Luckily, though, that note did not carry over to the flavor. It made for a bit of a weird experience getting something so strong on the nose but not in the flavor, but that was a good thing. Rather, I got a great, strong cinnamon spice. There was a bit of a bitter note, but it came across as more of a coffee note. And this all seemed to mix with a cherry and dark chocolate note that just really worked.

There was a light pine resin note, but nothing even close to approaching that cleaner note. Rather, it was a welcome note of pine, one that came across as natural and complementary to everything else going on. And all in all, this was a rich, sweet and spicy pour. In fact, the last few pours of the bottle were even sweeter and incredibly enjoyable.

This rye also had a great oily texture, which made for an incredibly long finish full of that same, bold cinnamon spice I got up front as well as the rich dark chocolate notes. 

If I could have gotten past the nose, this would have been one of the best MGP ryes I could recall. But that nose was really off-putting, despite how good the whiskey actually tasted.

Grade: B

Jack Daniel's Bonded Rye Tennessee Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $36

- 100 Proof

- 4 years

- Tennessee

I love finding good, available shelfies.  And by available, I mean not only easy to find, but easily accessible from a price standpoint!  When Jack Daniel's released their bonded Tennessee whiskey along with their triple mash -- two new offerings at the time for approximately $25 each -- I jumped at the chance to try them. And, I was pleasantly surprised at just how much I really liked them!

I didn't even know that Jack Daniel's was then planning to release a bonded rye. In fact, I didn't even know it was a thing until I saw it sitting on the shelf, and I had to do a double-take. It was a bit more than the Tennessee offerings were, but I still couldn't really question a bonded Tennessee rye whiskey from Jack Daniel's for only $36.00.  And who knows, maybe I would find myself a new go-to rye, along the lines of Rittenhouse.

The nose had all of those hallmarks of a good, punchy rye whiskey. Right up front I got woody notes of oak along with a healthy pine scent. There was a bit of cinnamon spice to tickle the nose, along with a rich, brown sugar sweetness. There was no questioning that it was a rye.

The flavor was a bit softer than I expected, but it did carry a good amount of spice. I got black pepper and cinnamon, both right up front and through to the finish. In fact, this was fairly cinnamon-forward. I also got more oak than I ever would have expected, given that this is likely not much older than the 4 years required under the Bottled in Bond Act.

While the pine was strong on the nose, it really took a back seat as to flavor. It was the cinnamon that really came forward, as well as a distinct dark cherry note. It wasn't bright, but was certainly rich, kind of like a Maraschino without the syrupy sweetness.

On the finish, that cherry note carried through, and I was left with a spiced cherry flavor that lingered for a lot longer than I had expected, especially given how soft the flavor was up front.

At $36, while there certainly are still cheaper options, there aren't that many, and this is a very good one. I will definitely be grabbing another one of these at some point just to have on my shelf.

Grade: B+

Ezra Brooks 99 Proof Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $23

- 99 Proof

- 2 Years

- Kentucky

While I do enjoy picking up many of the nice bottles that I've been fortunate enough to try and review on this blog, I do still make an effort to buy whiskeys I've never tried. That's particularly the case when it comes to new labels hitting the market.  Especially those that go straight to the shelf and aren't allocated or limited or somehow treated as "special."

So, when I saw a new Ezra Brooks product in the rye section, it caught my eye as something I hadn't seen before. Of course, it has the obligatory green label that all ryes apparently must have. But otherwise it looks a lot like the Ezra Brooks bourbons, and I've had some decent bottles of that, at least with respect to store picks. So I decided to give this one a go, even if it is only 2 years and is MGP rye bottled for Lux Row.  At least the price was nice.

The nose came across as soft and subtle or delicate, rather than punchy like so many other ryes, particularly young ones. It had a light cinnamon note to it, but also a grain forward or cereal note to it. It was kind of like toasted Cheerios.  There was a light sweetness to it, but no discernable spiciness on the nose, which had me hoping for better on the palate.

When I took my first sip, the first thing I noticed was that it was surprisingly syrupy, both in flavor and texture. It had a distinct sweetness that leaned a bit towards maple syrup. However, it did have some spice to it, with a touch of clove and even a slight anise note. It had the sharp notes of youth to it, though, with something biting and offensive lingering in the background.

The sweetness seemed to start to take on more of a brown sugar note, reminding me of chocolate chip cookies, but without the chocolate chips. At times it was more of a molasses note, and it came across as a bit resinous, particularly with the hint of pine that came from the rye.

It was that piney, resiny, molasses note that seemed to linger. It wasn't very sweet nor was it very spicy on the finish, and this is really where this whiskey lost me. It really fell flat at the end, leaving me with the sense that perhaps I had licked the bottom of a boot rather than just finished a sip of whiskey.  I didn't have super high expectations with this one, but I don't think I'll be reaching out for it again, at least not until Lux Row and MGP put some age on it.

Grade: C-

High West Binny's Barrel Select Double Rye! Finished in Tawny Port Casks

VITALS:

- $70

- 98 Proof

- Finished 9 mos.

- Barrel No. 28124

- Utah

I feel like it's been a while since I've last seen Double Rye! private barrels on the shelves.  I've seen plenty of American Prairie single barrels, most of which were finishes that I wasn't really interested in, such as rum cask or vermouth. And, to be honest, the American Prairie Bourbon barrel selects simply haven't done a whole lot for me overall.

But, I have had some amazing Double Rye! single barrels, with all sorts of finishes from Muscat to Armagnac and even a great tequila finish.  So I knew I had to give this Tawny Port finished Double Rye! a try (and I also grabbed a Cognac finished Double Rye! at the same time).  For me, High West has always done really well with their wine finishing, so I felt pretty good that I'd be getting something delicious here. 

On the nose, the most prominent aroma was raisin. In fact, the nose kind of reminded me of oatmeal raisin cookies, but made with about three times the usual number of raisins. In fact, the raisin or even fig note almost came across as jammy.  But, there was also that baked goods or cookie-like note to go with it, and all in all, it simply smelled great!

While the nose was somewhat straightforward, the flavor was actually a bit more complex.  I definitely got rich, jammy notes, but it wasn't singularly raisins or figs. Instead I actually got heavy notes of cherry and raspberry--very consistent with my experience with anything port-finished. It wasn't overly sweet, though, which I absolutely loved, rather relying on the richness of the dark fruits.

The rye gave it a great cinnamon backbone, and there was also a distinct chocolate note that came through, probably due to the combination of the port and the rye. Interestingly, I also got a certain amount of saltiness.  Certainly nothing that made my mouth pucker, but there was a "lightly salted" tone to everything.

On the finished the baked goods notes really came out, providing not only that oatmeal or Fig Newton flavor, but also highlighting some of those baking spices.  The cherry and raspberry notes fell away just enough to allow me to appreciate everything else going on as I contemplated my next sip.

I once again found myself really enjoying Double Rye! with a wine finish. This bottle certainly reinforced what I already knew--that I'll continue grabbing these when and where I can.

Grade: B+

Starlight Distillery Huber's Old Rickhouse Binny's Private Select Single Barrel Rye Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks

VITALS:

- $70

- 111.8 Proof

- 4 1/2 Years

- Barrel No. 22-2043

- Indiana

If you've been in a Binny's recently, I'm sure you've noticed rows of their shelves filled with Starlight Distillery picks. They certainly have an influx at the moment of all sorts of picks, from single barrel bourbons and ryes to whiskeys finished in everything from Bourdeaux to cherry liqueur barrels. In fact, they have so many Starlight picks right now, it's almost paralysis by analysis. There are so many options its hard to pick just one.

But, not being one to miss out, I figured I'd go with my mainstays as far as finished whiskey goes. I tend to enjoy the Cognac and Armagnac finishes, particularly on rye barrels. So, seeing this Cognac finished rye among all the other finishes, I played it safe. I could have gone with something different, but again, I wouldn't know where to start.

The nose really showed off that Cognac influence, hitting me right away with scents of orchard fruits like apple and pear. There was also a certain malty backbone, giving it a sort of bread-like aroma. It also had a light caramel sweetness as well as a light note of rich vanilla. I didn't get much of the rye spice I was expecting, but everything else smelled great!

Right up front the pear note came through on the palate, but it was more of a cooked pear. Here the spice came through, with cinnamon and black pepper notes. It also had that caramelization you get with cooked pears, adding a rich sweetness to the fruity note.

I definitely got that malted note as well. It was somewhat bread-like, but sweet and grainy all at once. There was also a distinct white grape note, which became more and more prominent as I made my way through the bottle. As it became more prominent it took on more of a white wine note, a note which seemed to stick out a bit and didn't seem to play well with everything else going on.

The finish proved to be interesting, with a mix of black pepper, orange peel, honey and walnut. It was spicy, earthy, sweet and citrusy all at once. But, it didn't all seem to go well together. It was almost as if each note was there, sitting in its own respective corner, uninterested in playing with those other flavors.

this Cognac finished rye came across as sweeter than I would have wanted, particularly on later pours, and while the flavors were enjoyable, it just didn't come across as a finished, cohesive whiskey. Rather, it was kind of all over, particularly on the finish.

Grade: B-

Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Kentucky Straight Rye

VITALS:

- $60

- 96 Proof

- 6 years

- Batch 1 - Distilled Spring 2017

- Kentucky

When Bardstown first released its initial Origin Series bottlings, a high rye bourbon and a wheated bourbon, I jumped at getting them. I opened the high rye bourbon and really enjoyed it! Though I haven't opened the wheated bourbon yet, I've heard good things about that one as well. So, I was certainly eager to try the rye when that was subsequently announced as the next offering in their Origin Series. 

This rye is finished in toasted cherry wood and oak barrels. I didn't know that going in, and I was intrigued upon reading it on the label. What I found more intriguing, though, was the mashbill (which, by the way, I love Bardstown for including on every product of theirs).  This is a 95/5 mashbill, meaning its made of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, much like MGP, whose rye whiskey I've grown to love. So I was really excited to try this to see how it stacks against that other 95/5 rye. 

On the nose I immediately got many of those same notes I'm accustomed to getting from MGP. I got notes of mint as well as a light dill note. Luckily, that dill note did not dominate as I've gotten in some bottles. This did not lean "green" in any way. It also had a very healthy amount of vanilla, giving it a bit of a bourbon quality. It smelled like a rye, certainly, but one that leaned sweeter. I did not get a whole lot of spice on the nose. 

As to flavor, right up front I got that same mint and vanilla. The mint was bright and sweet, and in many ways reminded me of mint ice cream, or perhaps a Shamrock Shake.  I happen to love Shamrock Shakes and look forward to that wonderful time of year when I can actually get them, so while it may sound like a weird whiskey tasting note, I was nonetheless a big fan!

The vanilla was accompanied by some spice as well, kind of like pepper and ginger, perhaps a bit of cinnamon. It all seemed to combine to create a cream soda flavor which, on later pours, seemed to lean more towards a root beer note. This was about the only time that the flavor combinations got a touch weird, but it was still good.

On the finish a cinnamon spice, which had been oddly missing up to this point, finally made a very welcome appearance. The mint notes subsided, but the vanilla notes lingered, providing for a sweet and spicy finish that left a very nice taste in my mouth.

All in all, for their first rye under this line and for the fairly accessible price, this was a very good rye that I would certainly recommend any rye-lovers give a go!

Grade: B+

WhistlePig Piggy Back Legends Series Brothers Osborne 6 Year Single Barrel Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $55

- 96.56 Proof

- 6 Years

- Canada

It wasn't too long ago I got invited to a buddy's house to do a whiskey tasting.  Little did I know when I accepted the invite that the tasting would include 9 different WhistlePig single barrels! The other eight were all single barrel picks of regular WhistlePig, but this particular barrel of Piggy Back was also in the mix, and I enjoyed it so much I found myself picking up a bottle the next day.

Admittedly, I had no clue at the time who Brothers Osborne was. I had to look it up, and when I learned they were country music artists, it made all the more sense why I had no idea who they were. That said, they got their name associated with a single barrel of WhistlePig Piggy Back, along with the tag of "Legends Series." Good on them!

The nose was great! I got a lot of those notes I typically associate with a rye, including cinnamon and pine as well as a touch of spearmint. I also got some sweet vanilla bean notes that provided a great, softer note. It also gave it a sweetness to help offset some of the spice I was getting. 

When I took my first sip, right up front I got a bunch of brown sugar. It also had a bit of cinnamon spice right on the tip of my tongue, but it came across as almost boozy or syrupy. It almost reminded me of a cinnamon liqueur.  That combination of sweet and spice right up front had me hooked.

Behind that I got a rich and sweet amaretto note. Perhaps it was a bit of a carry-over from that liqueur note I got right up front, but it was unexpected and deliciously welcome. It also had a bit of a coffee note, but a sweetened coffee.  It reminded me of an Irish cream coffee, with good coffee flavor but any bitterness removed.

This whiskey finished with cinnamon spice as well as those sweet brown sugar notes. The light mint I got on the nose finally made its appearance on the finish as well. Interestingly, I got a distinct rosemary note on the finish (a first for me). This was particularly noticeable when I exhaled. It was certainly different, but I enjoyed it.

Overall, this was a really good whiskey at a really good price. I probably wouldn't have grabbed it off the shelf if I hadn't tried it first, but I'm sure that can be said about a lot of whiskeys. Whether you're a fan of Brothers Osborne or not, certainly give this single barrel a try if you come across it. It was really a pleasant surprise.

Grade: B

Kentucky Owl 10 Year Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey - Batch No. 03

VITALS:

- $140 (MSRP - $180)

- 114 Proof

- 10 Years

- Batch No. 03

- Kentucky

When Kentucky Owl their first batch of their rye, an 11 year cask strength expression, I was thrilled to get my hands on one. At that time Kentucky Owl was at the peak of its hype, with people fighting to get their hands on those $300 bottles of bourbon. The release of a rye, not to mention a well-aged, cask strength rye, certainly benefitted from that hype. That said, the whiskey inside was quite good, and I found I really enjoyed what they had done.

But, after just a few releases, it quickly lost its luster. The market for high-end, high-priced ryes just didn't support $140+ bottles, even with the age statement. And so, subsequent releases, including this Batch No. 03, seemed to sit on shelves or in the locked cabinets just waiting for someone to come along. It didn't help that the price kept climbing as well.  I was able to pick this one up on sale at $140, which was still very steep. But at $180, the original price for this release, I could never convince myself to pull the trigger.

That said, I got it at a discount, and I got it to drink. So, eventually I got around to popping the cork just this past New Year's Eve, when my brother-in-law and I had a handful of high-end ryes to sip on for the night. Right away I could tell that, much like the earlier release I had, this was on the sweeter end for a rye. I got brown sugar and peanut, along with something light and fruity, kind of like melon.  But, there was a touch of rich cherry mixed in as well.  Notably, it had a very strong malty backbone.

Luckily for me, it had much more spice on the palate than on the nose (I tend to lean towards the spicier ryes).  Right up front I got a healthy dose of cinnamon, and the cherry note was also more prominent in the flavor than it was on the nose. It was still sweet, with notes of caramel accompanied by unsweetened vanilla.

But, it maintained a lot of the rye characteristics. In addition to the cinnamon notes I got right up front, I got a bit of mint. It wasn't a lot, but it was there. However, the malt notes made their way forward, and it developed a distinct cereal note, kind of like Cheerios.

On the finish, the cinnamon came across more like cloves, and that spice note lingered for quite a while. The mint, which had not been strong at all, was much more prominent on the finish, leaving almost a cooling sensation in my mouth.  That mint was accompanied by a very welcome vanilla notes as well.  This combination of flavors really made for a great finish!

This is a very good rye, don't get me wrong. But, I'm glad I didn't pay full price, as that's just a lot to ask. Well-aged whiskeys are somewhat hard to come by, but even today they don't seem to be commanding quite the price that this one was asking, and that's why it sat as long as it did.

Grade: B+

Castle & Key The Woolgatherer Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Vino de Naranja Barrels

VITALS:

- $75

- 115.4 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

On my most recent trip to Kentucky I made it a point to do the tour at Castle & Key. I had never been, and I was certainly eager to check out the grounds of the old E.H. Taylor distillery, and, of course, the castle itself.  I will say, that tour exceeded my expectations! The distillery and the grounds are absolutely beautiful!  They did an incredible job restoring that property!  And the history of the property is compelling and made for a really enjoyable tour!

Of course, at the end of the tour we took part in a tasting, and, oddly enough, I found I really liked their gin. But afterwards we perused the gift shop, and I saw this bottle on the shelf. Our tour guide saw me looking at it, and she offered to bring me back into the tasting room to try a sample. Needless to say, I was impressed not only with the flavor but the uniqueness of this whiskey, and a bottle made its way back to Illinois with me. 

This is not a super-high rye at 63%, so some of the sweeter notes were allowed to come through, and that was definitely the case with the nose. Right up front I got sweet notes of brown sugar and, not surprisingly, orange. It definitely had a bit of an old fashioned aroma to it, but with some vanilla added as well. I did not get "orange creamsicle," as the back label suggested, but it definitely had a nice nose.

Quite frankly, I didn't get the "orange creamsicle" in the flavor either, which was just fine by me, as I tend to avoid overly sweet whiskeys. And, quite frankly, initially my reaction to this whiskey was that it was just okay. But, this was one of those bottles that seemed to just get better with every pour.

Despite it not being a high-rye whiskey, it nonetheless had a healthy dose of cinnamon spice, both on the front end and the back end. That cinnamon spice was paired with a rich, brown sugar sweetness to keep it from ever getting either too spicy or too sweet.

Of course the orange was there, but again, not the sweet, artificial orange flavor, but rather bright and even slightly bitter orange peel, and even a bit of burnt orange. It definitely had that old fashioned quality to it, and it did, in fact, make for a pretty tasty old fashioned, leaning right into the Angostura bitters.

On the finish, the cinnamon spice certainly came through, and that burnt orange note lingered as well. But it was here that, while I don't believe this is a very aged whiskey, it provided some oak notes, a bit of earthiness and bitterness to continually balance the orange and brown sugar notes. 

I don't know that I'll come across this again, but this was a fun bottle to enjoy.  It was not only something different and unique, but it was really good! And by the time I got to the end of the bottle, I was a bit disappointed that it was over.

Grade: B+