Rye Whiskey

Willett Family Estate Rye 25 Years

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Willett Family Estate Rye – 25 yr (barrel # 1776)
50% ABV
$250
Website
WFE 25yr
What the Distillery Says:
Willett doesn’t say anything about their estate bottlings on their website.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Big oak, molasses, burnt fruitcake, raisins, prunes, cigar paper.
Palate: Very oaky, sharp dry spices (allspice?) and bitter chocolate, sour raisins.
Finish: Long but quite dry.
Comments: This was the most expensive bottle of whiskey I had ever purchased at the time (which I purchased from their gift shop in September 2012). And it will go down as “lessons learned” in my book, that age doesn’t equate to quality, and if I’m laying down that much money – I need to get a sample first. I think this whiskey was past its prime, and probably would have been amazing at 15 – 20 yrs. For my taste, this is just too oak dominant. I have to really work to pick flavors out from beneath the oak, and I don’t like to work that hard to enjoy my whiskey. I have been blessed with the opportunity to try some amazing older Willett ryes, and I made the mistake of assuming they were a representation of most ryes of that nature (rather than the rare-exceptional barrels that they were). For the retail I paid 4 years ago (which it would be double or more than that today I’m sure), I wouldn’t buy it again – so knowing the current market, I can’t recommend this.
Rating: Probably Pass

What Richard Says:
Nose: Light mint, peach cobbler, black strap molasses, and polished leather.
Palate: NyQuil, heavy on the wood, cocoa powder, spearmint, and cinnamon.
Finish: Dry, minty, and long on the oak.
Comments: This is a thick, almost gooey whiskey that coats the inside of the glass. Some people tend to prefer bourbons no older than 10 to 15 years old. Some don’t even go that far. The warm Kentucky summers and new oak can quickly over power a whiskey with heavy notes of wood. I usually like “woody” or “oaky” whiskeys. It’s not as much of a turn off for me. But that said, this rye from Willett is exceptionally far on the woody spectrum. There is a great nose to it but the taste and finish are just in your face with the oak. This probably should’ve come out of the barrel about four years sooner.
Rating: Probably Pass

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Willett Family Estate Rye 5 Years

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Willett Family Estate Rye – 5 yr (barrel # 78)

55% ABV
$40
Website
willett 5 year

What the Producer Says

Willett doesn’t really say a damn thing about their “Estate” bottles.

What Gary Says:

Nose: Bright, crisp Christmas spice (nutmeg, cinnamon), orange marmalade over oak.
Palate: Sharp citrus spice with tangerines and craisins, subtle vanilla sweetness under pepper spice and cinnamon notes.
Finish: Moderately long and dry.
Comments: The line of Willett Family Estate Ryes has been mostly from the same distillery (MGP), although they started distilling their own rye a few years ago. This was a waxed-top bottle bought a few years ago, and gifted to me from a friend who knows I love rye. This bottle is no exception. I appreciate the high proof bottling, and while it is a single barrel – I’ve tried a dozen or so in this age range (4 – 5 yr) and found them pretty consistent. More oak than you might expect for a 5 yr, but not too much (probably aged high in the rickhouse). I really wish I would have picked up more of their 4 and 5 yr rye whiskey when it was laying around at $35-$40. It isn’t as widely available these days, and when it is – the price has gone up quite a bit.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:

Nose: Fresh mint, nutmeg, Big Red cinnamon chewing gum, and lemon preserves.
Palate: This youngish rye is very flavorful but it also wears the proof on its sleeve. You feel everyone of those 110 proof points. Citrus, ginger, cinnamon, sharp mint, and red pepper.
Finish: Mild and woody. The heat comes more on the palate than the finish. It leaves black pepper notes around the edges of the tongue for some time.
Comments: This is a bit of a monster of a young rye. It’s very tasty and back when you could get this rye for $40 it was very versatile. Now Willett whiskeys are getting a bit too big for their britches in the pricing. Regardless, it is a good whiskey and worth trying.

Rating: Stands Out

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Booker’s Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Booker’s Rye Big Time Batch
Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
68.1% ABV
$300
Website
bookers-rye
What the Distillery Says:
Booker Noe was known for his innovative thinking, big personality and, most of all, his big-flavored bourbon. He spent his days experimenting at the distillery, tinkering with different grain mixtures, and was always intrigued by the challenge that the temperamental rye grain posed. Never one to back down from a challenge, he went big in 2003 and laid down a limited number of barrels of a rye whiskey, creating the first ever Booker’s Rye. When you take one sip of this whiskey, you’ll agree that it is “Big Time” all the way.

It has an intense flavor profile with pronounced, well-balanced notes of wood and oak from the longer aging process. The deep amber liquid offers a complex aroma with spicy notes from the rye in the mash bill.

This uncut rye has a spicy and robust flavor, but is not overpowering. It can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks.

What Richard Says:
Nose: It’s a little woody but not too much. The proof needs a bit of water before the nose can really develop. Deep sooty caramel, fiery cinnamon, oiled leather, and hint of tobacco.
Palate: Whoa! So delicious and so hot at the same time. The experience of the first taste reminds me of the first time I had George T Stagg, although this doesn’t go down quite as smooth. It is rich, thick, and sweet…oozing cinnamon Red Hots, baking spices, and cooked brown sugar and butter.
Finish: The finish is dry with lots of leather, cigar tobacco, and cocoa powder.
Comments: Supposedly this isn’t just high proof extra aged Knob Creek Rye. According to the distillery this was a special recipe rye that Booker created and laid down the year before he passed away. I don’t know if that is marketing hooey or the real deal but this tastes unlike any rye that I’ve ever had. This is absolutely delicious. If it wasn’t ridiculously over priced at $300 a bottle then I would say scour the earth for every bottle you can find. It’s a shame really, because this is such delicious whiskey and it’s marred by the stigma of Beam’s recent pricing missteps (Knob Creek 2001, Booker’s Bourbon, and this). All that aside, this really is a drink that you should experience. $300 for the bottle? No, but if you can get a glass for $30 to $40 at a bar then jump on it.
Rating: Must Try

We would like to thank Beam Suntory for sending us a sample to review.

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WhistlePig 2016 Boss Hog

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

WhistlePig The Boss Hog Straight Rye Whiskey: The Independent
60.3% ABV
$299.99
Website
boss-hog-independent-main
What the Bottler Says:
The name says it all. This is our biggest, most profound whiskey. For the Boss Hog in us all.

The 1st edition, created in 2013, was our best at the time: our best barrels, barrel strength, 12 year aged.

In 2014, the 2nd edition was created as a memorial to Mortimer, one of our founder’s first pigs. He died heroically whilst defending the honor of Mauve, his porcine lover and companion. This marked the first time Mortimer appeared on the pewter stopper. Again we used our barrels as barrel strength, this time aged for 13 years.

This 3rd edition of Boss Hog, The Independent, is a celebration of the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation. This is our first Rye Whiskey ever finished in Hogshead 250 liter Scotch casks – the largest barrels in the business – which were enhanced with new American Oak heads.

The result is extraordinary. A fine balance between complex spices and delicate nuance. There’s nothing else like it.

Nose: Oak and vanilla are predominant, with undertones of mint, caramel, and baking spice.
Palate: Warm and bold, with lots of spices. Very faint hints of peat and smoke. Slightly earthy.
Finish: Surprisingly easydrinking for 125 proof with a long, warm, spicy finish.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Mint tea and newly made vanilla extract.
Palate: Heavy on the mint, vanilla, and caramel with a light back smokiness. The press notes are right, this drinks much easier than the proof would foretell.
Finish: Mint, allspice, oak, and dark cocoa powder.
Comments: Apparently WhistlePig is not to be out done by Jim Beam’s $300 13 year old rye by coming out with their own $300 rye. It’s a bit surprising given the recent release of their 15 Year for $200. Let’s be honest, the price stings a bit. This isn’t a rye for the masses. However, if you have the opportunity to try this then please do. It is a stellar glass of rye.
Rating: Must Try

We would like to thank WhistlePig for sending us a sample to review.

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WhistlePig 15 Year

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey 15 Year
46% ABV
$200
Website
whistlepig-15YO
What the Bottler Says:
Within this bottle is the culmination of years of patience – a liquid chosen from our finest stocks to be aged for more than a decade, only disturbed as it was transferred from specially selected former bourbon casks to barrels made from slow-growing Vermont Oak harvested on the WhistlePig farm.

The harsh winters and shorter growing seasons of the Green Mountains bestow a tighter grain pattern upon these trees, imparting nuanced flavors into the whiskey. After being milled, seasoned, and raised by some of the best coopers in America, the new barrel receives a long toast and heavy char designed to draw out a rich sweetness that complements the natural spice of aged rye.

The final product mingles rye spice with wood sugar, earthy oakiness and lush citrus notes, all wrapped in a velvet smoothness unique to the finest aged spirits. We are proud to share with you the fruit of our labors the WhistlePig 15 Year.

Nose: Deep and rich, dominated by caramel, vanilla, and oak with hints of all spice and burnt orange.
Taste: Warm, rich, and slightly creamy; Loads of butterscotch and baking spice with leather and a hint of tobacco
Finish: Ultra long and rich, warm, and inviting

What Gary Says:
Nose: Big, bold, crisp rye spice; citrus punch with underlying oak.
Palate: Thick/viscous/creamy mouthfeel, orange bitters with caramel chews, hints of pipe smoke and pepper spice.
Finish: Moderately long, and not as dry as I expected for the age.
Comments: Very bold rye whiskey – not very oaky/woody. In fact, on both the nose and palate I’d have pegged it as younger because of the lack of oak, but it has enough complexity and bold flavor to make up for it (and for my palate, I prefer less oak – so this is right in my wheelhouse). This has the kind of nose where I could pour and just smell it for hours, and while the palate is quite enjoyable – it isn’t quite as bold as the nose advertises (but is still very nice). I think rye fans would appreciate this, but the price tag makes it challenging – and I definitely recommend a “try before you buy” approach if you have the opportunity.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Vanilla extract, orange zest, something like lacquer, and a minty woody backbone.
Palate: Creamy and spicy with light notes of sweetness. Cigar tobacco, fennel seed, caramel, and oiled leather.
Finish: Much lighter than I would expect. Linger mint, polished wood, and more oiled leather.
Comments: This is a very nice rye. It smells absolutely stellar but the palate is a little lacking to me. I find a little less than I expected. I thought the Boss Hog bottling was richer and more robust of flavor for a bit less. $200? Well that is steep and it is up to you to determine that for yourself. I wouldn’t drop that kind of coin for it but value is very subjective.
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank WhistlePig for sending over a sample for us to review.

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