Old Potrero Rye Review
This is a unique rye. Old Portrero doesn’t have much of the typical spice on the palate that you can usually pick out from a Rye if you tasted it blind. At $65, you have for sure paid more for less.
BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER: Old Potrero Rye at Hotaling & Co. Distillery
- MASH BILL: 100% Malted Rye
- AGE: Minimum of 6 years
- YEAR: 2022
- PROOF: 97 Proof (48.5% ABV)
- MSRP: $65
BRENT'S REVIEW OF OLD POTRERO RYE
SHARE WITH: Bourbon and Rye fans. People that prefer their spirits on the sweeter side with less of the dry tannic and oak flavors that can accompany barrel-aged spirits.
WORTH THE PRICE: I think so. This is a unique rye. It doesn’t have much of the typical spice on the palate that you can usually pick out from a Rye if you were tasing it blind. At $65, you have for sure paid more for less. This is a 6-year-old Rye that they made themselves and didn’t just source and repackage like so many new or “craft” products out there. At 6 years old, this one falls in line with the $10 per year plus $10 pricing that a lot of smaller brands follow. I just wish more brands adhered to the same guidelines. This one has a considerable amount of sweetness that stands out well above your typical Rye spice notes. If you are looking to try a new Rye that will surprise you in a good way, this is it. If you like your Rye spicy and standard, this is probably not what you want.
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle for me. I don’t usually gravitate to Rye. When I have a choice, I almost always pick a bourbon over a rye. But I enjoyed this one. Possibly since it doesn’t have the usual Rye spice to it.
OVERALL: I got a ton of sweetness on both the nose and the palate. I tasted this on two separate occasions to make sure I got a good handle on it for this review and both times I got a lot of pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice notes from not only the nose but on the palate as well. There was some dark fruit on the nose as well as a hint of maple sweetness on the palate. There was not much oak, especially for a Rye that has been aged 6 years but that is not a bad thing with this one. I think if there was more oak it might have been a bit odd with the sweetness. Even though Old Potrero has been distilling their own Rye for many years, I believe that they have recently gone through a rebranding and are now using a much more aesthetically pleasing bottle. While doing some research online, I came across a lot of pictures of the old-style bottle. That bottle reminded me of an old “pirate style” rum bottle that looked like something Captain Jack Sparrow would be seen sipping on. This new bottle and label are a significant improvement. While I’m not really a cocktail guy, I’m looking forward to adding this to some weekend coffee. This probably won’t be a go to standard for most Rye fans, but this one is definitely worth a try at a bar even if this review doesn’t pique your interest. If this review sounds like you’d enjoy it, go pick up a bottle. #DrinkCurious.
BRAND TASTING NOTES
Rich, complex, and smooth with notes of cinnamon, orange, cherry, and red hot candies, with a nutty finish.