Rye Whiskey

Thomas H. Handy 2014

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Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey – 2014 Release
64.6% ABV
$75-80
Website
thomas-h-handy-sazerac-rye-whiskey-2014-release
What the Distillery Says:
Named after the New Orleans bartender who first used rye whiskey in the Sazerac Cocktail, this uncut and unfiltered Straight Rye Whiskey is bottled directly from the barrel, just as it was over a century ago. Full of rich flavors, this authentic American rye whiskey is a symbol of the timeless history of New Orleans and the legacy of Thomas H. Handy.

TASTING NOTES: Powerful, lush, and boldly spicy. Flavors of toffee, fig cake, and candied fruit, followed by mint, cinnamon and clove. The finish ultimately reveals subtle notes of allspice, coconut and nutmeg. Long and warm.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Toasted orange zest and mango, cinnamon, nutmeg, warm banana nut cookies with toasted oak.
Palate: Christmas; fruit cake; warm pepper spice, stewed raisins, red hots, orange bitters.
Finish: Warms to near hot, but lingers nicely.
Comments: While not a departure from the Thomas H. Handy flavor profile, this one comes across as a bit harsher with more alcohol burn. I compared it to the 2011 release (the only other one I have on-hand) after making my notes, and it definitely has more edge to it – despite being only 0.3 ABV higher. The good news is most of us are not often sipping this next to a previous vintage. Handy has always been a rough and up-front rye whiskey, and it delivers on that – with perhaps a bit more of a bite. If you have been a fan of Handy in the past, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed – and if you’ve never had the opportunity – I recommend giving this one a try!
Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

What Richard Says:
Nose: Mint tea, with a fruitcake scone drizzled with cinnamon icing.
Palate: More fruitcake up front followed by citrus zest, cinnamon, and then a harsh peppery kick in the teeth.
Finish: Whoa hot! It takes more than a few splashes of water to tame this beast. Once the heat dies down it’s much more of a bitter wood flavor.
Comments: Not my favorite rye for sure. The nose is great; the palate isn’t doing it for me but all the components are there to make an outstanding old fashioned. It’s a bit pricey for a cocktail rye and the finish is too off putting for a sipper. I’m not sure what I would do with this bottle if I’d bought it rather than sampled Gary’s bottle.
Rating: Stands Out

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Angel’s Envy Rye

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Angel’s Envy Rye Whiskey Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks
50% ABV
$65 to $75
Website
rye34
What the Bottler Says:
As malcontents, we’re particular about our whiskey. When we decided to distill a rye, we approached it with the same painstaking attention to detail that we give every micro-batch of our bourbon, insisting on the highest quality. We can be a handful to work with, but the extra effort keeps paying off. Angel’s Envy Rye is genuinely special and worthy of Lincoln Henderson’s legacy.

Lincoln had been considering a rum cask finish, and the taste profile of our rye whiskey was a perfect fit. After sampling over 100 rums to find the right flavor to compliment our rye, the team’s decision was unanimous. Our vintage barrels began as small-batch French cognac barrels, which were then used to age and finish Plantation XO Rum. Angel’s Envy Rye Whiskey spends up to 18 months finishing in these Franco Caribbean rum casks, resulting in an immensely complex whiskey. The mingling of raw, spicy and earthy rye with the mellow sweetness of rum finishing creates in an incomparably smooth and drinkable rye, even at 100 proof.

Appearance crystal clear quality with a rich, reddish amber color
Nose aromas of citrus, caramel candy, maple sugar, vanilla oak, hazelnut, spice, and sherry wood
Palate sweet rum sherry wood and soft oak
Finish both sweet and dry, as well as quick and easy

What Richard Says:
Nose: A gingerbread explosion! There are hints of cracked black pepper and peppermint around the edges but the gingerbread dominates.
Palate: The gingerbread is more of a subtle cookie on the palate rather than the fresh baked bread on the nose. Cinnamon, graham crackers, and rum cake too.
Finish: Slow lingering gingerbread and a light oak backbone.
Comments: This is an excellent demonstration showing how finishing can give you something greater than the sum of it’s parts. The rum finish interacts with the rye to give this amazing gingerbread note all through the whiskey. Obviously, if you don’t like gingerbread then you probably won’t like this but I love it. It’s a great dessert and Christmas whiskey.
Rating: Must Try

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(rī)1

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(rī)1 Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
46% ABV
$30 to $35 (found mine on sale for $20)
Ri
What the Distillery Says:
(rî)1® Whiskey elevates the ultra-premium whiskey category, offering consumers a refined flavor, a striking look and a new take on cocktail couture.

(rî)1® is a blend of several different ages (minimum 4.5 years) to create a uniquely smooth and sophisticated flavor. The deliberate blending of several different ages creates a higher proof; spicy, yet lighter rye taste; and long, luxurious finish that declares (rî)1® as the definition to which other rye whiskies should aspire.

(rî)1® provides the cocktail crowd with a spicy, flavorful addition to their current drink portfolio. Rye whiskey is both approachable in its taste, and distinct in its profile due to its luxurious and striking finishes. We have created a modern spirit that allows drinkers to rediscover some of their favorite cocktails.

BRAND FACTS
(rî)1® is (pronounced “rye one”)

Bottled at 92 proof

Light, spicy flavor and long, luxurious finish

Straight, the nose offers a gentle, peppery nod to its rye heritage.

Cut with water, the scents of dried fruit and cinnamon push to the front, providing a rich palate experience

(rî)1® is packaged in a distinctive glass bottle with a single label that reinforces the brand’s straightforward feel and modern style

What Richard Says:
Nose: Spearmint, vanilla, cinnamon, and cracked pepper. The nose is very…sharp. That’s the best way I can describe it. It comes at you like spear. Watering it down makes it much fruitier but you lose the nice spice and mint notes. I want both at the same time damn it!
Palate: Boiled peanuts, hot black and cayenne pepper. Watering it down is recommended. It mellows out the nastier notes and leaves it lighter and creamier.
Finish: Hot and peppery with a back of raw wet wood…like a toothpick you’ve chewed too long.
Comments: Young, hot tempered, and brash. Given it’s packaging it’s kind of an angry hipster rye. 🙂 This may be the first none barrel/cask strength whiskey I’ve ever said this about but you really need to water this one. By itself it’s kind of nasty. The nose is nice but the rest is meh. With a dose of water it mellows to a nice drinkable whiskey. I’m thinking this was designed more for the cocktail crowd and givne it’s need for dilution that may be a good idea. Straight from the bottle and by itself this one isn’t doing it for me.
Rating: Average

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Sazerac Rye

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Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey
45% ABV
$25 to $35
Website
SAZ-rye
What the Distiller Says:
The One and Only New Orleans Original. Sazerac Rye Whiskey symbolizes the tradition and history of New Orleans. Rye Whiskey that dates back to the 1800’s, around the time when saloons, veiled as Coffee Houses, began lining the streets of New Orleans. It was at the Sazerac Coffee House on Royal Street where local patrons were served toddies made with Rye Whiskey and Peychaud’s Bitters. The libation became known as the “Sazerac” and America’s first branded cocktail was born. This is the whiskey that started it all.

TASTING NOTES:
Aromas of clove, vanilla, anise and pepper. Subtle notes of candies spices and citrus. The big finish is smooth with hints of licorice.

What Richard Says:
Nose: There’s a little of the “typical” rye mint but it is overpowered by lots of vanilla and licorice. After it opens a bit I also get something that reminds me of aged brandy.
Palate: Lighter and more zesty than it’s 18 year old big brother.
Finish: Spearmint with a good dose of dry wood.
Comments: This is a much lighter representation of Sazerac rye. The nose is nice but the palate is almost indistinguishable. There’s a sweetness and a spice but not a defined sweetness (i.e. golden raisins, honey, etc.) or a noted spice (clove, cinnamon, pepper, etc.) The best I can say is black pepper simple syrup which sounds much nastier than this is. It’s a fine rye. Given the competition from a bunch of lower quality ryes hitting the market in the last few years this one definitely stands out. However, there isn’t much there that makes me want to grab this over something else.
Rating: Stands Out

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Old Overholt

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Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey
40% ABV
$15
Website
Old-Overholt-Rye
What the Distiller Says:
These are the three principles by which Abraham Overholt (1784-1870) lived and made his whiskey. He’s the father of American distilling and took uncompromising pride in his product — a legacy which continues today.

Old Overholt is the oldest of The Olds, a relic you can drink. This famous Straight Rye Whiskey has a distinctive flavor and appeal that, after Prohibition, made it the most popular spirit in the country.

Agreeable means you get along. And Old Overholt does just that. It’s renowned for its outstanding mixability in classic cocktails like the Old Style Manhattan (look it up). The one and only Old Overholt is 80 Proof and aged 3 years.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Beam-y rye. What I mean by that is that it’s the clear intersection of the classic rye nose of mint, herbs, and spices and the Beam (distiller) house style. Tour Beam in Clermont and the warehouse ooze this smell.
Palate: Light, unoffensive but a little young. This rye seems, either through mashbill or youth to show a lot of the flavors on new corn make. Obviously, it’s at least 51% rye but that corn distillate nature is swimming in the background.
Finish: It gets hotter the longer it sits on the palate.
Comments: While not my favorite rye by any stretch it is a serviceable addition to the cocktail bar. I use it in making Manhattans and as a ginger ale mixer.
Rating: Average

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