Let me be blunt for a moment – I drank the hell out of this bottle of whiskey. Damn it was good. The aromas on the nose combined to remind me of sought after dusty bottles that are getting harder and harder to find. The flavor, while not quite as magical as a great dusty bottle, was addictive. So addictive in fact that I almost drank my full bottle before saving enough for my review.
Riptide Cask Strength Rye Whiskey Review
There isn’t a glut of cask strength ryes out there and Riptide is an interesting addition to the category. You aren’t going to confuse it with Thomas H. Handy or Kentucky Owl. It tastes young, because it is. The intent was to showcase the rye flavor, not overwhelm it with oak. I generally find ryes seem to be drinkable at a younger age than bourbons, so I don’t mind this. It’s tasty and lightly oaked and the higher proof lends body. (Funny how I look for the grain flavor in a rye, but never say, “I love how the corn shines through!” about a bourbon.)
Wilderness Trail Settlers Select Rye Review
In a field of what ended up being six rye whiskies, two stood out above the rest. The ultimate winner was Booker’s Rye, currently an $850 bottle. The consensus runner-up was a 3-year rye from a then-relatively unknown new distillery called “Wilderness Trail,” who had just released their first 4-year rye that same day. I was stunned and couldn’t believe that a $60 3-year craft rye whiskey would excel amidst a group of well-known and established brands, including a couple private picks. I don’t need many fingers to count how many craft distilleries I’ve gotten intrigued about, but this definitely was one of them.
Coppercraft Straight Rye Whiskey Review
This was my favorite of the three Coppercraft whiskies we reviewed. The nose was quite inviting and there should be no doubt you have a rye whiskey in your glass. I got the impression from that initial nosing that the first sip would be sweeter than it actually was, but when you consider a 95% rye mash bill, with the remaining ingredient being barley, as opposed to corn, the fact that it wasn’t should come as no surprise. That’s not a knock on the palate, but more of a nod to the nose.
WhistlePig The Boss Hog V: The Spirit of Mauve Review
The name says it all. This is our biggest, most profound whiskey for the Boss Hog in all of us.– WhistlePigClick to explore our complete library of reviews to help you choose your next perfect bottle.WhistlePig The Boss Hog V: The Spirit of Mauve DISTILLER: Produced by WhistlePig Whiskey but the whiskey was distilled by MGP MASH BILL: MGP 95% Rye Mash, Finished in Calvados Apple Brandy Casks AGE: 13 Years YEAR: 2018 PROOF: Barrel Strength (varies, but my sample was 119 proof) MSRP: $500.00 BUY ONLINE: Wine-Searcher.com SHAWN’S NOTESBRAND NOTESNOSE: Apples | Tobacco | Baking Spices | Italian Herbs TASTE: Maple Syrup | Tobacco | …
Rossville Union Rye Whiskey Review
With this release, I continue to be happy with MGP’s foray into releasing their own brands. None of them will be winning whiskey of the year accolades, but they’re all solid expressions of what MGP has been doing well for decades. (I’m still waiting for that MGP label that blows my mind. I just hope MGP hasn’t been letting their barrel sourcing clients take all of the great barrels resting in their rick houses.)
Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye Review
Michter’s master distiller Pam Heilmann calls this, “my favorite Michter’s whiskey.” She’s a real and regular whiskey lady, so it was believable high praise when she said that to me—unsolicited and on multiple occasions—which put me on the hunt for it. Did I mention kicking myself for not buying all three bottles on the shelf when I found it 230 miles from home? I’m a fan of Michter’s Straight Rye Whiskey, but at just 84.8 proof, it’s a minor leaguer compared to its Barrel Strength sibling.
Wollersheim Round Top Rye Review
There’s a plethora of two-year-old Ryes hitting the market, with some commanding amazingly high price tags. As this market gets more crowded, distillers must distinguish themselves from the competition.
Being a local, I was excited when Wollersheim, who has run a successful winery for several years, opened its distillery and announced it would create whiskeys. I’ve been curiously waiting ever since for something to be released, with my fingers crossed that they’d distill and age something of at least decent quality, as they’ve done a great job creating wines.
Sagamore Spirit Cask Strength Rye Whiskey Review
Last summer I had the opportunity to attend a Sagamore Spirit Rye tasting. I like their regular rye offering, but at 83 proof, it is a nice rye but not great. The Cask Strength Rye, however, is excellent. It has finally arrived here in Virginia and I purchased a bottle when I saw it.