Rye Whiskey

Knob Creek 7 Year Old Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Knob Creek 7 Year Old
Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

50% ABV
$37
Website
Knob Creek 7 Year Old Rye Whiskey
We would like to thank Beam Suntory and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says:

Knob Creek® is excited to announce the addition of an age statement to its flagship straight rye whiskey, Knob Creek® 7 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey. This update is a testament to the care and innovation behind the super-premium whiskey inside and reinforces Knob Creek’s commitment to continue to produce the world-class whiskies its fans know and love. Made pre-Prohibition style, Knob Creek 7 Year Old Rye is carefully crafted and patiently aged for seven years in deeply charred barrels, producing a full-flavored rye whiskey with notes of American Rye spice, sweet vanilla and oak, in line with what fans have come to expect from Knob Creek.

Knob Creek has set the standard for American Whiskey for more than 30 years and has lived up to such standards with the addition of an age statement to its rye whiskey. Enjoyed as the base in an Old Fashioned cocktail or over ice, it doesn’t matter how you drink it, it’s all about how you enjoy it.

TASTING NOTES
Knob Creek 7 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey brings the deliciously rich and savory notes of rye to life in a way that only Knob Creek can – creating a versatile, full-flavored straight rye whiskey that offers smooth spice in every sip.
PROOF: 100
COLOR: Amber brown
AROMA: Sweet caramel and vanilla mixed with deep round rye spice accompanied by apple and floral notes with a hint of leather
TASTE: Full body with balanced black pepper, sweet vanilla, and caramel finished with lingering oak and rich spice
FINISH: Warm and smooth with spice throughout

What Gary Says

Nose: Caramel, oak, toasted orange zest, fall leaves, hint of peanuts with rye spices.
Palate: Thick mouthfeel, caramel, chocolate orange, vanilla, mint and honey.
Finish:  Moderately long with caramel, cola and orange.
Comments:  This is a really nice rye whiskey – well balanced, not too sharp/spicy and also not too subtle/sweet. It had been a while since I’d had the non-age stated Knob Creek Rye, and I wasn’t a big fan at the time. Then in 2018 when Beam released the Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye, I loved that – so knew that Beam had solid rye whiskey. Not sure what they’ve done beyond the age statement, but appreciate the end result. If you’ve tried the previous version and weren’t impressed, I’d definitely give this one a shot.

Rating: Stands Out

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Traverse City Whiskey Co. Cab Franc Barrel Finish

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Traverse City Whiskey Co. Cab Franc Barrel Finish
Straight Rye Whiskey

48.75% ABV
$60
Website
Traverse City Whiskey Co. Cab Franc Barrel Finish Straight Rye Whiskey
We would like to thank Traverse City Whiskey Co. and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

100% Rye Whiskey is a difficult spirit to distill. It requires patience and close attention to detail. After aging it for more than five years, we then finish it an additional nine months in cabernet franc barrels from an artisan northern Michigan winery.

  • Nose: Sweet cherries, lemongrass, wintergreen, milk chocolate
  • Body: Dry and lightly buttery; caraway seed, toasted sesame, and a hint of bitter orange
  • Finish: Tannic, whole grains fading to 100% cocoa nibs

What Gary Says

Nose:  Lemongrass, mint, ginger, grapes and pink grapefruit.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, orange bitters, vanilla, honey, red grapes and cinnamon.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with grapefruit, oak tannins and pepper.
Comments:  I’m not a big cab franc fan, so I expected this to be my least favorite of the three Traverse City Whiskey Co. Finished products. Turns out this was my favorite! Really nicely done, well balanced with the cab franc influence there but not heavy handed. The rye whiskey stands up really well to the finishing, and still shines through.

Rating: Stands Out

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Rebel 100 Straight Rye Whiskey

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Rebel 100 Straight Rye Whiskey

50% ABV
$20
Website
Rebel 100 Straight Rye Whiskey
We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

ST. LOUIS (March 16, 2023) – Lux Row Distillers announced the newest variant in the Rebel brand family: Rebel 100 Straight Rye Whiskey. Rebel 100 Rye is set to reach retail shelves across the country later this month at a suggested retail price of $19.99 per 750 ml bottle.

Rebel 100 Straight Rye Whiskey delivers smooth, spicy rye flavor via its 51% rye, 45% corn and 4% malt mash bill. Offered at 100 proof, Rebel 100 Rye features a spicy nose that opens into rich rye flavor balanced by hints of vanilla.

“Based on the continued success of both Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, we’ve elevated the proof of its rye counterpart,” said Eric Winter, brand manager for Rebel. “Rebel 100 Rye drinkers still will enjoy the award-winning smooth, spicy rye flavor of Rebel Rye at a proof level that amplifies its taste profile and stands out even better in classic cocktails.”

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, creamed corn, subtle citrus, mint, bit of brown sugar and honey.
Palate:  Honey, orange, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper.
Finish:  Short and damp with orange bitters, pepper and mint.
Comments:  This is a younger whiskey, age stated at 24 months (which is the minimum age for a straight rye whiskey), and it comes across as such. Appreciate the higher proof, and rye is the one whiskey I find that is palatable at a young age, although I do hope that there are some more mature offerings in their future. This is a perfectly serviceable rye whiskey for cocktails, and at $20 is at the entry price for rye. Most $20 rye whiskies are lower proof, which would make this preferable if you’re value shopping.

Rating: Average

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Oak & Eden Whiskey Customizer: Rye & Port Wine

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Oak & Eden Whiskey Customizer
Whiskey Apostle Selection:
Rye Whiskey (114 Proof) Finished With A Port Wine Soaked American Oak Spiral

45-57% ABV
$65-80
Website
Oak & Eden Whiskey Customizer - Custom Bottle
We would like to thank Oak & Eden and Champlin PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

DALLAS, February 16, 2023 – Today, indie whiskey brand and spirits innovator, Oak & Eden, unveils a project it’s kept under wraps for nearly three years – Whiskey Customizer. Living within the brand’s Anthro Series line of whiskey collaborations with artists, musicians, actors and creators, Whiskey Customizer enables the customer to be the creator, crafting their own whiskey bottle from the comfort of their home using one of the Oak & Eden’s four finished whiskey bases and over eleven infusion options. Whiskey Customizer is exclusively offered online at OakandEden.com.

Oak & Eden’s proprietary In-Bottle Finishing technique was just the start of the founders’ vision. Rooted by the innovative spire, the brand developed Whiskey Customizer, becoming the first national spirit brand to offer single bottle customization for the masses. Whether you’re an avid whiskey fan wanting to experiment or looking for that perfect gift for a loved one, Whiskey Customizer has a little something for everyone.

“Five years ago, we embarked on a journey to revolutionize the spirits industry and bring something unique to the market. The wooden spire and patented finishing process were simply the tools that led us to Whiskey Customizer – the true innovation,” comments Oak & Eden Co-founder and CEO Joe Giildenzopf. “Today, as we celebrate its long awaited debut and our anniversary, we are paving the way for a new era of personalization and experimentation within the spirits industry.”

Oak & Eden Whiskey Customizer

To kick off the experience, customers are invited to build their custom bottle by selecting a desired whiskey base out of Bourbon, Four Grain Bourbon, Wheated Bourbon or Rye. Each base has been aged a minimum of three years. All four whiskey bases are available in 90 proof ($64.00 / 750ml bottle) and 114 proof ($79.00/ 750ml bottle).

After selecting the base and proof, builders may then choose the preferred wooden spire to be infused or inserted into the base with no infusion. Wood options include an American Oak spire, lending a sweet and toasty finish, or a French Oak spire, lending a floral and peppery finish.

Builders can also select their spire to be infused with Coffee, Vanilla, Grapefruit Liqueur, Orange Liqueur, Pineapple Liqueur, Blackberry Liqueur, Cabernet, Port Wine, Rum, Honey, or Maple Syrup which is then inserted into the bottle. Oak & Eden plans to add to its infusion options, introducing seasonal and limited l-batch options quarterly, making the possibilities with Whiskey Customizer truly limitless.

As a final step, customers can make the bottle theirs by personalizing the label.

Each customized bottle is available for shipping nationwide and ready to drink following the recommended six-week In-Bottle Finishing process.

As a part of its education efforts, Oak & Eden shares popular bottle creations, describes the characteristics and notes associated with each selection and provides cocktail recipes that best accompany each bottle.

“The launch of Whiskey Customizer allows our customers to unleash their creative spirit, one bottle at a time, in a way that has never existed before,” says Oak & Eden Co-founder & CMO Brad Neathery. “As important as making the new experience seamless on our site was providing visual and educational tools on building a whiskey, an often misunderstood and intimidating spirit. We are a whiskey for the people, inviting and empowering anyone to be a creator.”

Check out oakandeden.com for more information on Whiskey Customizer as well as the brand’s full lineup of whiskies.

What Gary Says

Nose: Orange marmalade on rye toast, heavy port, cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, oak and hints of dill.
Palate: Rich and thick, plums, raisins, orange bitters, honey, cinnamon, demerara sugar and pepper.
Finish:  Moderate in length, damp and syrupy with port and chili spice.
Comments:  I was offered the opportunity to create my own, so of course I picked what I thought I would enjoy the most (or at least what I was the most interested in trying). And I was right – I do really enjoy this! As a whiskey geek, I enjoyed the experience of making my selections, and anticipating the bottle’s arrival – enough so that I’ve ordered another (will share that review later!) Is this identical to finishing a whiskey in a used port barrel? No, but I’m not a purist when it comes to that. I’m all about what’s in the bottle, and the enjoyment I get from that – and I really enjoyed this combination!

One note (which I emailed them a few weeks ago on, so hopefully has been fixed) – I received an email about a week AFTER I received my bottle, and that email instructed me to wait three weeks AFTER receiving the bottle to open and enjoy. I’d already opened and made a couple of passes (within the first week). I did set it aside for a few more weeks, and found that I hadn’t changed a ton – but I’d also taken the bottle down about 1/3 in that time. So when you order yours, have a little patience.

UPDATE JUNE 2023: In ordering a second bottle I found that the issues mentioned above have all been addressed, which is great! Kudos to Oak & Eden for addressing quickly!

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Rye Whiskey

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Rye Whiskey

60.5% ABV (for sample provided; varies by barrel)
$90
Website
Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Rye Whiskey
We would like to thank Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and The Brand Guild for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Bottled at cask strength, this Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey is what other ryes work hard to grow up to be. Tennessee does a lot of things well; growing rye is not one of them. So, we sought out the best from other states. Each of our inaugural barrels hails from New York, where they aged in new American oak for a minimum of four years after a short stint in B.C., where they were born.

These barrels began as a lofty experiment in 2017. Was it possible to create an ultra-smooth whiskey, with flavor galore, made from 100% rye? That was the question. The answer took a while but was well worth the wait: hell yeah.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rye toast, corn flakes, salted caramel, orange honey, cinnamon and a hint of anise.
Palate:  Caramel, orange bitters, bursting with rye spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and lemongrass.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with chili spice and citrus.
Comments:  I tried this side by side against the Uncle Nearest Uncut/Unfiltered Straight Rye Whiskey, which probably isn’t a fair comparison. The Uncut/Unfiltered is $60 more, but is the same mashbill, and the descriptions of treatment are similar (although both are non-age stated, and I suspect that is where the difference lies – besides this offering being a single barrel). While there is similarity between the two, I preferred the other. I found this to be a bit hot, thinner, and likely a bit younger (although not “young”). Now as a single barrel, maybe the one I tried is an outlier. It does take water well, and thickened up nicely. This is a very spicy and hot rye – which I think makes for a great cocktail.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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