Category: Rye Whiskey

Whiskey made from at least 51% rye

Review: Barrell Rye Single Barrel 13-Year Astor Wine & Spirits

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Alberta Distillers, Canadian Whiskey, Rye WhiskeyLeave a comment

Paid: $109 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Sourced / Barrell

Region: Canada

66.39% ABV

Aged For: 13-Years

Mashbill: 100% rye

Cask Type: Undisclosed, Likely ex-bourbon Cask# L956

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

Color: Burnished

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Alcohol whiff with baked bread, oak, cracked pepper, coriander seeds, caramel, vanilla, and herbs

Feel: Full bodied

Taste: Rich spice, tobacco, cardamom, oak, pepper, rye, caramel, clove, and touch of mint

Finish: Warm and lasting, with cocoa, peach, anise, caramel, vanilla, oak, pepper, and cedar notes

Thoughts: Lots of rich spices here with an underlying sweetness to balance it out.

Score: 84 out of 100

Review: Old Forester Rye

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, American Whiskey, Brown-Forman, Rye WhiskeyLeave a comment

Paid: $25 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Old Forester / Brown-Forman

Region: Kentucky

50% ABV

Aged For: NAS, minimum 4 years

Mashbill: 65% rye, 20% barley, 15% corn

Cask Type: New charred oak

Color: Tawny

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Sweet, fruit, bubblegum, brown sugar, oak, baking spice, banana, barely present floralness

Feel: Medium bodied

Taste: Citrus, oak, chocolate, maple, vanilla, clove, rye, and pepper

Finish: Slightly under medium warmth and length, oak, rye, menthol, tannins, citrus, and just a slight floral note at the very end

Thoughts: A great budget rye that isn’t to simple, but not complex either. Good balance of spice and sweetness.

Score: 80 out of 100

Review: New Riff Rye

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, American Whiskey, New Riff, Rye WhiskeyLeave a comment

Paid: $40 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: New Riff

Region: Kentucky

50% ABV

Aged For: 4 Years, Distilled Spring 2015, bottled spring 2019

Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% malted rye

Cask Type: New charred oak

Chill Filtered: No

Color: Chestnut

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Orange rinds and citrus, pepper and brunt oak, marzipan, cherry, and spices

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Lots of citrus and fruit, vanilla, rye, sweet chili peppers, oak, mint, and sweet tobacco

Finish: Medium warmth and good length, The sweet fruitiness is balanced by rye and pepper spice.

Thoughts: I am blown away by how sweet and fruity this is for a 100% rye mashbill. This is on quality level with the stuff the big guys are putting out and a nice alternative to ryes on the market.

Score: 82 out of 100

Review: Knob Creek 2009 Cask Strength Rye

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, American Whiskey, Jim Beam, Rye WhiskeyLeave a comment

Paid: $65 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Jim Beam / Beam Suntory

Region: Kentucky

59.8% ABV

Aged For: 9 Years, barreled 2009

Mashbill: 55% rye, 35% corn, 10% barley

Cask Type: New charred oak, Char #4

Chill Filtered: No

Color: Tawny

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: A little boozy upfront, lots of peppery leather and cinnamon rye notes, oak, roasted peanuts, and a touch of fruit

Feel: Medium to full body

Taste: A quick hit of sweet vanilla, followed quickly by a cracked rye bread and mint spice. Salted peanuts, caramel, citrus, and oak

Finish: Medium warmth and good length, oak, toffee, crushed mint, peanut butter fudge, cardamom, and pepper

Thoughts: Most rye on the market is MGP or young craft distillate that is not very good. I’m glad Beam is stepping up to give us more options on the aged rye market, with this one have a nice blend of sweet, herbal, and spicy.

Score: 84 out of 100

High West Rendezvous Rye Campfire Finish

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, American Whiskey, Blend, Rye Whiskey, SourcedLeave a comment

HW RR Select

 

Price: $80 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: MGP & Barton / Constellation Brands

Region: America

50% ABV

Aged For: Minimum 5 Years, finished additional 2.2 Years

Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% barley, & 53% rye, 37% corn, 10% barley, & 80% rye, 10% corn, 10% barley

Cask Type: New charred oak, finished in barrels that held High West Campfire

Chill Filtered: No

 

Color: Copper

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, oak, rye, sharp sweetness, heather

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Rye, cinnamon, clove, tobacco, pepper, coriander, fennel, oak, vanilla

Finish: Medium warmth and length, honey, vanilla, oak, and rye spices

Thoughts: The campfire barrel really mellowed the rye out, without sacrificing flavor. Still very much a rye, but a nice change of pace.
Score: 82 out of 100

Willet Family Estate Rye 4-Year

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, American Whiskey, Rye Whiskey, WilletLeave a comment

Willet Family Estate Rye 4

Paid: $43 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by:Willet / KBD

Region: Kentucky

59.5% ABV

Aged For: 4 years

Mashbill: Undisclosed

Cask Type: New charred oak

Chill Filtered: No

Color: Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Rye spices , mint, pepper, oak, caramel, and floral notes

Feel: Full bodied

Taste: Caramel, leather, pepper, brown sugar, oak, slight sweetness, good spice

Finish: Good warmth and length, clove, tobacco, rye, oak tannins, drying finish

Thoughts: A more refined version than the 3 year smoothing some of those rough edges, and still a tasty rye.

Score: 87 out of 100

Knob Creek Rye Single Barrel Select Westport Whiskey & Wine

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, American Whiskey, Jim Beam, Rye WhiskeyLeave a comment

Knob Creek Single Barrel Rye

Price: $45 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Jim Beam / Beam Suntory

Region: Kentucky

57.5% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: Undisclosed

Cask Type: New charred oak, Char #4

Chill Filtered: No?

 

 

Color: Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Caramel, bread yeast, peanuts, rye, oak, citrus, pine, alcohol

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Oak, cinnamon, rye spices, citrus, leather, pepper, peanuts

Finish: Medium warmth and length, oak, and vanilla, caramel, toasted nuts, baking spice

Thoughts: The citrus notes were an interesting flavor to find here, also has that signature beam nut funk, but its good to have another affordable rye in the same marketspace as Pikesville.

Score: 84 out of 100

Old Overholt Bonded

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, American Whiskey, Jim Beam, Rye WhiskeyLeave a comment

Old Overholt Bonded

Price: $20 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Jim Beam / Beam Suntory

Region: Kentucky

50% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: Undisclosed

Cask Type: New charred oak, Char #4

Chill Filtered: No

 

 

Color: Light amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Vanilla, oak, cinnamon, sweet mash, leather, paper

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Caramel, nuts, oak, rye, cinnamon, nutmeg

Finish: Good warmth and lasting, oak and caramel with vanilla

Thoughts: A huge improvement on the regular Old Overholt, and a good budget rye. I still prefer Rittenhouse, however. If you want a more robust version of this, look for the new Knob Creek Single Barrel Ryes

Score: 80 out of 100

 

Whistlepig 10 Single Barrel Exit 9 W&L

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Alberta Distillers, Canadian Whiskey, Rye WhiskeyLeave a comment

Maker:0x4c,Date:2018-1-12,Ver:4,Lens:Kan03,Act:Lar01,E-Y

Paid: $70 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Alberta Distillers / Whistlepig

Region: Canada / Vermont

60.4% ABV

Aged For: 10 Years

Mashbill: 100% rye

Cask Type: New charred oak

Chill Filtered: No

 

 

Color: Dark copper

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Vanilla, mint, oak, rye, herbs, pepper, cinnamon, caramel

Feel: Full bodied

Taste: Rye, cinnamon, leather, oak, caramel, vanilla, mint, and earth

Finish: Warm, and lasting, with oak, spices, sweet tobacco, coffee, cream and cinnamon

Thoughts: Not as good as the last single barrel WP I had but still a good buy in the current market, and a nice alternative to the MGP and Kentucky ryes.

Score: 87 out of 100

 

High West Rendezvous Rye Bourbon Barrel Finish

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, American Whiskey, Blend, MGP, Rye Whiskey, SourcedLeave a comment

HW RR Bourbon Barrel

Price: $70 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: MGP & Barton / Constellation Brands

Region: America

57.7% ABV

Mashbill: MGP: 95% rye, 5% barley, Barton: 80% rye, 10% corn, 10% barley

Aged For: NAS (MGP: 6 Years, Barton: 16 Years)

Cask Type: New charred American oak, finished in ex-bourbon barrels and additional 1.5 years

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Chestnut

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Rye spices, oak, caramel, pepper, cloves, and coffee (No MGP dill here)

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and dry

Palate/Taste: Rye, mint, pepper, oak, toffee, and herbs

Finish: Medium warmth and length. Rye and herbs with bourbon oak and bitter chocolate

Thoughts: The ex-bourbon casks mellow the RR out a bit, but if you are not a fan of the herbal dill profile of MGP they tone that down as well. Good, but not great.

Score: 82 out of 100