High West A Midwinter Night's Dram in 3 Scenes

It's been long time since I've scrapped a week's worth of posts and then started over, but now here I am. Originally, this single post was going to be three separate posts with some bad Shakespeare jokes, but once I sat down to do this Triple Taste Off, I started noticing a difference in the underlying ryes. After doing some quick googling, I realized the rye recipes had changed, and I was reminded of my "Constellation Brands blows up High West Rendezvous Rye" post from 2019.

For those of you who have forgotten the High West tale, here's a recap. In 2016 Constellation Brands bought High West Distillery, a distillery who had to that point succeeded due to its blending of sourced whiskey rather than actual distillation, for $160 million. Between 2017 and 2018, High West ran out of its old sourced rye from Barton distillery, and swapped out the well-aged portion of their rye blends from that distillery for the very young rye from their own distillery, creating a sudden shift in the character of all their ryes.

My favorite post from the post-tasting snooping, Bourbon Culture's review of MWND Acts 5 through 10, dished out the above information, and more.

As Culture notes, the Midwinter Night's Dram Act 5 (aka 2017) batch recipe was:

"Website Description: A blend of older rye whiskeys ranging from 5 to 19 years 

95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP 

53% rye, 37% corn, 10% barley malt from Barton Distillery 

80% rye, 10% corn, 10% barley malt from Barton Distillery"

The transition began with the Act 6 scenes/batches (from 2018):

"Website Description: A blend of older Straight Rye whiskeys ranging in age from 5 to 19 years 

95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP 

80% rye, 20% malted rye from High West Distillery 

53% rye, 37% corn, 10% barley malt from Barton Distillery

80% rye, 10% corn, 10% barley malt from Barton Distillery"

And in 2019, the shift was complete with Act 7:

"Website Description: A blend of Straight Rye Whiskies including 95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP and 80% rye, 20% malted rye from HWD. 

Website Description for 2019 Rendezvous Rye says that it contains 4 to 7 year old rye whiskey that is a mix of sourced and in-house distilled ryes."

As you weathered whisk(e)y fanatics can already guess, the price of the much younger rye did not go down, but rather increased. And, as Culture covers in another post, Constellation has aggressively increased the MWND outturn while raising the bottling's price.

I have no interest in tracking down a bottle of any of these Acts, but I have enjoyed the batches I've sipped (two from Act 2, and one from Act 6). So I was excited about this Midwinter taste-off in midsummer. Here are the results from the Taste Off that inspired my Google searches:

A Park City Trio

High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 5, Scene 8 (2017) 49.3%abv	High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 7, Scene 1 (2019) 49.3%abv	High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 8, Scene 2 (2020) 49.3%abv
Everything in the nose revolves around a middle ground between sticky sugary fortified wine and bold rye: grape jam, blueberry syrup, rye bread, fennel seed, black licorice, marzipan, and brine.	The nose is very winey (Moscatel!). Roses, cherry syrup, and grape lollipops keep the fennel seed in the background.	Raw rye in the nose, and it isn't MGP sauce. At least it's less winey. Mothballs, tar, and black licorice up front, with marzipan, grape juice, and ethanol in the back.
It's a good thing that there's a lot of high-rye rye as it keeps the port casks' sweetness from taking over the palate. Fennel seeds and honey on one level, strawberry candy and grape candy down below.	There's a strong orange note in the sweet palate. Then sawdust and ginger. Tart apples and dash of salt. Not much in the way of that fennel seed note.	Again the wine is mellow in the palate. It's very peppery and spicy, full of loud oak and youthful rye. Tangy orange marmalade soaks into the toasted oak. As with 7:1, the sweetness isn't necessarily from the port.
It finishes with rye and sugar. Fennel seeds, lemon candy, and grape candy.	Very sweet on this finish. Orange candy, lemon candy, ginger candy, tart apples, and tannins.	The finish is so very, very sweet. Fennel seed and tangy citrus try to break through.
Final thoughts: The port casks start to tip the scales in the finish, and it's quite sweet overall, but never too much for my grumpy palate. In fact, it's the least sweet of the three. The ABV works perfectly on this one.	Final thoughts: This is a very different whiskey, and I don't think the port casks are driving all the sweetness. It's as if the spirit itself has been dosed with refined sugar. The orange note is the only thing keeping this from dipping into the 70s.	Final thoughts: I like this more brutal take on The Dram, until the finish strikes. The spirit's volume is cranked up, while the port is toned down, something I do support. But this is soooooo sugary. I'm struggling to find any MGP in here.
Rating: 84	Rating: 80	Rating: 82

WORDS WORDS WORDS

By the end of this lineup, I had my phone out, trying to discern what's going on with the changing spirit. As noted in the intro, Act 5 was the last one with the original recipe, without High West's spirit. Act 7, was the first act with no old Barton rye ingredients, and theoretically Act 8 was the same. My Kravy senses tell me that Act 8 had the most High West rye in it. Though 8 feels like the youngest of the three, I know my way around young MGP rye better than any other American spirit, and there's not much to be found in 8:2.

Five years ago, I'd already noticed how much sweeter Act 6 was than Act 2, and that was the Act that introduced the High West spirit to the recipe. The trend appears to have increased in Act 7 and 8, which leaves me uninterested in Acts 9, 10, and 11.

In fact, you won't find me supporting High West in general, now that David Perkins is no longer at the till, and yet another corporation is charging more for less. The market offers plenty of options for me to obtain a bottle of Indiana's rye if needed. You may want to explore those as well.

Willett Family Estate 8 year old rye, barrel 1433

MGP's 95%-rye recipe is the best rye whiskey in the world. FIGHT ME. Actually don't fight me, I'm kinda scrawny and have no rotator cuffs to speak of. That's right, I'll never grow up to be the ambidextrous knuckleball-flinging middle reliever I dreamt of becoming. So here I am, medicating drinking booze on a school night during baseball season.

Long-long-longtime readers may remember that I absolutely adore Willett's single barrels of MGP rye. I dip into the stuff once every other year to make sure the quality remains sharp. This time, I thought I'd bring you with me. Wish I could share the whiskey with you, my one reader! Instead, here's my first Willett rye review in nearly six years.

Distillery: MGP's own Ross & Squibb Distillery

Bottler: Willett Distilling Company
Range: Family Estate Single Barrel (WFE)

Region: Bardstown, Kentucky (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

Age: 8 years

Maturation: New American Oak

Barrel: 1433

Alcohol by Volume: 57.4%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Sure there's rye bread aplenty in the nose, but it's snuggled within layers of fresh apricots and plums, anise, flower blossoms, sour apple candy, brown sugar, and brine (more ocean than pickle).

It's very, very drinkable at this strength, with the palate balancing sea salt, sweet plums, tangy chiles, bitter raw cocoa, and hints of butterscotch hard candies. It gains mint, blackberry juice, and a little bit of pipe tobacco after 30+ minutes in the glass.

The finish holds onto many of the palate notes. Tangy chile peppers, tangy berries, sweet plums, and lots of salt. A little bit of wood smoke and mint leaf in the background too.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

After this tasting, I feel very reassured that my senses haven't totally collapsed into cynicism. Willett's MGP rye still works wonders on my palate. Yum.

The word "balance" gets overused on this blog, but I rarely wield it when reviewing American whiskies, as those spirits tend to be almost entirely about oak extraction. And the enormity of rye spirit doesn't really offer symmetry as one of its features. But, damn, this 8 year old rye barrel's got it, from the nose to the palate to the finish. Grand spirit and stellar cask management meet again. And to think I complained when this stuff was $80.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - *looks, sighs, shrugs*
Rating - 90

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Jews & Booze 4 year old MGP Rye, The Holiday Armadillo

Another BARD for a TIRD! (Translation: Bourbon and Rye Day for a Thing I Really Drink.) And it's another Jews & Booze single barrel of MGP whiskey. This time it's rye. And this time I have plenty of pics.

All American whiskies are legally required to list the state of their distillation somewhere on their labels. So all MGP-distilled whiskies must have something like this:

I am of the religious opinion that all MGP ryes should have the above spelled out in LED lights or at least rhinestones, but for some reason the TTB hasn't responded to any of my emails on the matter. Perhaps they are discussing it in a committee. I await their response with dizzying anticipation.

Though I know that numerous American whiskey producers are playing around with oak stave finishes, I've never actually tried any such creation. But since the 95/5 MGP mashbill is the real boss hoss, I figured it could stand up to the woodwork. So I bought a bottle.

More specifically, this whiskey, named The Holiday Armadillo after a Friends Hanukkah reference, had recharred oak staves added to its barrel for the final six months of aging. See pics below for the rest of the whiskey's data.

NOTES

As a 2:1 Manhattan cocktail: It smells and tastes like a hipster bar's oak-infused Manhattan, with all the flavors perched a thick slab of toasted (not recharred) oak. It's also curiously marshmallowy. The 122 proof is kept ar bay by the Carpano Antica.

On the rocks: A real sweetie pie. Smells like milk chocolate!

Neat: Heath Bar, whole wheat bread, and toasted oak make up most of the nose for the first 15 minutes. A perfumy note moves to the fore after that. Caramel, fennel seed, and peach juice linger in the background. Hints of halvah, dried oregano, and pencil shaving arrive later. The palate is hot, tangy, and slightly nutty. Sweet oranges, creamy vanilla, and plenty of florals comprise the core. It gets sweeter and more bourbon-like with time. It finishes with sweet and tangy citrus, a little bit of vanilla, and a lot of heat.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This recharred-oak-stave finish seems to neutralize the 95/5 mashbill style, turning it into something more like a lower-rye rye. It works best in a cocktail or on the rocks, for me. The 61.04 points of alcohol have also made neat drinking a bit of a chore for this palate, and I've hit a wall with this bottle at the bottom-third mark, eight months in. Some of you fire-drinking youngsters out there would like this whiskey more than I do. For me, just Holiday Armadillo cocktails going forward.

Availability - Maybe?
Pricing - $75
Rating - 82 (see above for caveats)

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Jews & Booze 6 year old MGP bourbon, barrel 420

SPOILER ALERT: This is one of the best privately selected bourbons I've ever owned, not because of things 420 related, nor because it was selected by fellow nerdy Jews, but because of its fruitiness. This is why all the NDPs need to put DISTILLED IN INDIANA in bold, italics, and underlined CAPS on their bottles' front labels. At least as of six years ago, Midwest Grain Products was still cranking out the good shit.

For some reason I took only one photo of the bottle (see further below), so I just now took a pic of the labels:

Yes, I officially tasted this on 4/20. No, there was nothing else in my system before or after consuming the bourbon. Other than some pulled pork and ice cream.

Distillery: Midwest Grain Products

Type: Straight bourbon

Location: Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Exclusive to: Jews and Booze (private group)
Mash Bill: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
Age: 6 years, 1 month

Bottle #: 45
ABV: 57.6% ABV

(from the bottom third of my bottle)

Fruit dominates the nose. First cherries and plums, then peaches and orange blossoms. Some Juicy Fruit gum too. Cinnamon and toffee decorate the background. Lemon candy, cherry juice, and salted pistachios highlight the palate, with a little bit of bubblegum and heat. It finishes with honey, lemons, orange blossoms, cinnamon, and burst of mint leaf.

It even works on the rocks (especially on an 80ºF day), with tart limes, tart raspberries, and sweet cherries leading the way.

Readers of this blog may know that bourbon is not my go-to drink. But this bourbon was, for much of the summer and fall of 2022, my go-to drink. In fact, I wish I'd purchased two or three bottles. It's just sweet enough without getting too sugary, and it's not too hot for my sensitive palate. And the fruit. The fruit! And now it's all gone. But I do anticipate more J and B barrel picks showing up on BARD Fridays this year.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ??
Rating - 88

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Hayner Original 6 year old Rye Whiskey

Though my friend, Heather, a lifelong Ohioan, is a bourbon fan, she's less keen on rye. She knows I'm a fan, so when her dad opened his bottle of Hayner 6 year old rye, she brilliantly saved me a 2oz sample. Thank you, Heather!

Hayner Distilling Co is a legally licensed distiller located in Troy, OH, but they bottle other producers' distillate. And they are fully transparent about that. For instance, their website lists the four bourbons that go into their Straight Bourbon Whiskey, as well as the mashbills and percentages of each whiskey. Diving for Pearls approves! Their Original 6 year rye, with its vintage label, is 100% MGP 95/5 rye. Diving for Pearls double approved!

BTW, it has been more than 5 years since I've reviewed an indie bottling of MGP rye. 'Twas an Old Scout, reviewed two weeks after my younger daughter Beatrice was born. Beatrice now drives a BMW X5. How time flies.

Yes, I already tucked into it. It's frickin' MGP rye, people.

Brand: Hayner
Region: Troy, Ohio (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Age: at least 8 years
Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley
Maturation: 5 five years in new oak, then moved to another new oak barrel for one more year
Alcohol by Volume: 45%
(sample from my buddy!)

NOTES

A massive note of marble rye with pickles leads the nose. Pine sap and halvah fill the middle, with cherry candy and plum wine in the back. The bready, gently peppery, dry palate goes very light on the sweetness (a big plus on this site). Tangy berries, crisp green bell peppers, and mint leaves make up the rest. It finishes dry and salty, with mint, pickle brine, and ginger beer.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I forgot how much I enjoy MGP 95/5 rye. The nose's first note is a like a reassuring old friend, one I've missed so. The Hayner 6yo stood up to its sparring partner, Lot No. 40, more than adequately. In fact, hell, I liked it better. It won't spin your head on your shoulders like the Willet MGP single barrels, but it's a high quality sipper, if you dig this style. I dig this style. Might have to stop by the distillery shop...

Availability - At the distillery shop
Pricing - $49.95
Rating - 85

High West Rendezvous Rye Barrel Select for T5C, barrel 4469

And then there was the Rendezvous. Bottled for the militant mavens of T5C, this barrel selection has one of the highest ABVs of all Rendezvous releases. No quirky finishes to it, just full-powered Rye. It needs no further introduction.

Product: Rendezvous Rye
Producer: High West
Distilleries: Barton and MGP

Type: Blend of Straight Rye Whiskies
Region: Indiana (MGP) and Kentucky (Barton)

Mashbills: Barton - 80% rye 10% corn 10% malted barley
MGP - 95% rye 5% malted barley
Maturation: American white oak

Barrel #: 4469
Bottle #: 124

Alcohol by Volume: 63.5%
(Thank you to Secret Agent Man)

Remarkably, the nose needs no water. There's lots of chocolate and cookie—actually, it's Twix. I'm smelling Twix bars. Then toasted oak, saline, lemons and blossoms. Roasted almonds and berry candy. With 30+ minutes in the glass, it gains coffee and malt notes. The palate is big but not hot. Lots of oranges, peach cobbler and honey. RYE. Very little vanilla. It has a fresh herbal side, think mint, basil and thyme leaves. Tart lemons and a whiff of smoke. It sticks the landing with unending waves of rye, rye, rye, rye. Mint, saline, rye bread, sweet lemon and wood smoke. Enormous.

As handsome as the boys of T5C (*voice cracks* Hi guys!) are, this is the dark lord of Rendezvous Rye. Thunderous in style, but remarkably easy drinking for the abv, this barrel has more complexity than anything else I've had from High West and a finish that adheres to the senses for a very long time. There's not a single weakness to be found in this, one of my favorite ryes.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 90

High West Double Rye Barrel Select for Cask Strength Society, barrel 7588

Let us transition from A Midwinter Night's Dram to a single barrel of Double Rye finished for 13 months in a former Midwinter Night's Dram barrel. High West's Barrel Select whiskies are fun on an intellectual level: Take a familiar High West product, finish it in a Wine, Scotch or former cask from the same distillery, then release it at a higher strength. And keep price the price close to that of the original whiskey. In this instance, High West tones down the potential fortified wine influence while also introducing a young rye to an older rye's barrel.

Product: Rendezvous Rye
Producer: High West
Distilleries: Barton and MGP (probably)

Type: Blend of Straight Rye Whiskies
Region: Indiana (MGP) and Kentucky (Barton)

Mashbills: 16 years, 53% rye 37% corn 10% malted barley (Barton) + 2 years, 95% rye 5% malted barley (MGP)
Maturation, part 1: Barton & MGP ryes in separate new white oak barrels
Maturation, part 2: 13-month marriage together in a Midwinter Night's Dram barrel

Barrel #: 7588
Exclusively for: Cask Strength Society

Alcohol by Volume: 49.9%
(Thanks again, Jack!)

There's a mild interplay between the spirit and the barrel, in the nose. On the Double Rye side there's pickle brine, ground mustard seed, anise, a vegetal note and rye white dog (rye dog?, while the MWND barrel brings in berry lollipops. At the intersection of the two is a glazed bacon note and a curious whiff of hot canola oil. The Double Rye rumble wins out in the palate, as it is mostly sharp zippy MGP stuff with a peep of blackberry jam. Mint, peppercorns, rock candy, heat and a hint of wood smoke. It finishes simply with lime candy, mint, wood smoke, black pepper and golden raisins.

The wisely subtle secondary maturation in a former MWND barrel does result in a small improvement over the old Double Rye recipe, which usually seemed younger than its younger ingredients and bereft of its older ryes. This barrel select is less sweet than MWND and doesn't hide its rye heart. It will appeal to those for whom wine cask whiskies are heresy. And it's better than any Double Rye batch I've had. Yet, like the Double Ryes I've had, it's sorely missing something older to bump up into Rendezvous territory.

Speaking of Rendezvous...

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 84

High West A Midwinter Night's Dram, Act 6 Scene 2

After my Rendezvous Rye and Elijah Craig posts, some readers assumed that I still drink American whiskey -- which is technically true since summer has arrived early -- and provided me with three samples of High West ryes. Since I'm about to flood everyone with more single malt scotch reviews, now would be a good time to pause and post some rye stuff.

The first sample, donated by Jack (thank you!), is a recent batch of Midwinter Night's Dram. As you see from the post's title, High West has now flown beyond Shakespeare's usual five-act structure into the undiscovered country of a sixth act. Who knows what will happen with their new ownership, other than the nuking of their ryes, so let's enjoy the MWNDs while they're still here.

If you're new to the game, A Midwinter Night's Dram is Rendezvous Rye finished in Port casks. I've heard that recent batches have been winier than the early ones, and there seems to be combination of the old recipe and new recipe involved (see below) now. In any case, here's 2018's Act 6, Scene 2.

Producer/Blender: High West
Ownership: Constellation Brands
Type: Blend of Straight Rye Whiskies
Region: Indiana (MGP), Kentucky (Barton), Utah (High West)

Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP; 
80% rye, 20% malted rye from High West Distillery; 
53% rye, 37% corn, 10% barley malt from Barton Distillery; 
80% rye, 10% corn, 10% barley malt from Barton Distillery

Primary Maturation: charred white oak barrels
Secondary Maturation: "port and french oak barrels"

Alcohol by Volume: 49.3%

Berry-loaded tawny port arrives first in the nose, with hints of mesquite and tar in the background. Then cherries, plum wine and roasted corn. Hints of ume, rye bread, fennel seeds and celery appear occasionally. With time, there's more rye and milk chocolate. Lots of sweet citrus, plum wine, caramel apples and cayenne pepper in the palate. It reads more like bourbon than rye. Well, it reads more like fortified wine than either of those. It gets sweeter and jammier with time, while also picking up some good tartness. The finish is sweet, plummy and minty. Sawdust, raspberry jam, black pepper and tart citrus.

While it's indeed winey or porty, this batch of Midwinter Night's Dram works as a dessert whisky. I mean, I shouldn't like as much as I do. There's no balance between the port, oak and whiskey (unlike the other two batches I've reviewed); and it's as sweet as a liqueur. But it's yummy. And the yummy factor is difficult to discount. So there it is. You may take the below rating with a spoonful of sugar.

Also, My Gourd, the price?!

Availability - Probably sold out
Pricing - recent batches are going for $90-$180, some comedians are charging $300
Rating - 84

Constellation Brands blows up High West Rendezvous Rye, so let's try the original stuff: 2012 versus 2016

High West Rendezvous Rye was a long time favorite in this house. If we couldn't get MGP Willett or MGP Smooth Ambler rye then I would buy a bottle of Rendezvous.

Note the past tense in that paragraph. The Rendezvous recipe has changed. What was once 16 year old 80/10/10 (Barton) + 6 year old 95/5 (MGP) rye, is (as of 2018) "A blend of older Straight Rye whiskeys ranging in age from 4 to 7 years", 95/5 from MGP and 80/20 rye/malted rye from High West itself. Now MGP is the older sibling. It is much much younger than the Barton rye was, and, yes, the oldest whiskies in the current batches are almost the same age as the youngest whiskies in the original batches. And per Winesearcher, Rendezvous 20% more expensive than it was in 2015.

Let's all chillfilter the bitterness out of our feelings about those facts for a moment. Inflation has gone up 7-8% since 2015, so the price was going to rise at least a little bit over the past four years. Though the ingredients changed, it was infeasible for High West to use 16 year old rye indefinitely. And at some point actual High West rye was going to have make an appearance in a bottle somewhere in the range.

Okay, now bring the bitter back. It takes some serious chutzpah to blow up a recipe so drastically while keeping the same name on the bottle. What do they think this is, Johnnie Walker Black? Why no "Son of Rendezvous"? Why no limited release "Last Rendezvous in Park City" to fluff the secondary marketeers? David Perkins was a stellar blender who created a successful brand via quality products. But I'm not motivated to drop $65 on 4 year old rye, especially when it's produced by the $40B market cap Constellation Brands rather than a family business.

In honor of the OG Rendezvous Rye, I'm going to compare my first saved Rendezvous sample with my last. 2012 versus 2016. One may imagine the recipe was already shifting far away from the Barton by 2016. None the less, I commence.

Product: Rendezvous Rye
Distillery: Barton and MGP distilleries

Producer: High West
Type: Blended Straight Rye Whiskeys
Region: Kentucky and Indiana

Age / Mashbill: 16 years, 80% rye 10% corn 10% malted barley (Barton) + 6 years, 95% rye 5% malted barley (MGP)

Maturation: charred white oak barrels

Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Batches: 12E03 (from 2012) and 16K29 (from 2016)

Noses:
Batch 12E03 - Pickles! Dried cherries, lemon peel and brown sugar. Not much vanilla. More of a toasted oak feel than charred oak. Cloves and dried grass. Okay, I'll say it: pickles in toffee pudding.
Batch 16K29 - Slightly flatter at first. Less fruit. The pickles have been replaced with mint leaves and earth. More toasted grains and toasted nuts. Cinnamon bread and halvah. Hints of rye bread, cherries and salty pork.

Palates:
Batch 12E03 - I'm happy to report one well-sealed sample bottle because this stuff is still brisk as hell after more than six years. Heat, mint and tart citrus at the start. Then apricots and cayenne pepper. Bit O' Pickle. Mild sweetness and vanilla. It gets increasingly spicy and fruity, then picks up a brothy salt note.
Batch 16K29 - Calmer and sweeter than the 2012, with a slight medicinal note. Luxardo cherries, mint and milk chocolate. Dustings of clove and cayenne. A mix of tart lemons and orange candy arise after a while.

Finishes:
Batch 12E03 - A straightforward mix of stone fruits, rye seeds, salt and pepper. Very long. It gets sweeter with time.
Batch 16K29 - Cherries, cloves, rye seeds and mint. Good 'n simple 'n sweet. Also has some length to it.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Do I have to choose which one I like better? Even worse, do I have to assign them grades? This is my fault.

There's a definite through line from Willett to Smooth Ambler to the 2012 Rendezvous. Pickles, spices and fruits; that LDI spirit distilled in the mid-aughts. Great rye, all around. This old sample reminds me how much I enjoyed that bottle.

The 2016 batch held up better than I'd expected. It's sweeter and more immediate than the 2012, and finishes very well, which makes it a pleasure to drink. It's short on fruit which keeps it from meeting its elder head-to-head. It does make a great manhattan, when required, though.

I've had to bury Willett's and Smooth Ambler's single barrel MGP ryes on this blog. Now I bury the original batches of Rendezvous Rye.

Good night, sweet pickles. May flights of cowboy angels sing thee to thy sleep.

Batch 12E03
Rating - 88

Batch 16K29
Rating - 86

Willett Week Two: 8 year old rye, barrel 1408

On Monday, there was a dazzling 6yo rye.
On Wednesday, there was a curious but very good 7yo rye.
Today, it's an 8 year old rye.

All three of these were tasted during one long evening...

Bottler: Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (also known as Willett Distilling Company)
Brand: Willett
Range: Family Estate Single Barrel (WFE)
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

Age: 8 years

Maturation: New American Oak

Region: Bardstown, Kentucky (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Barrel: 1408

Alcohol by Volume: 58.8%
(From a purchased sample)

Cocoa, tobacco and smoky toffee register loudest in the nose. Then cherry medicine, saline, apricot jam and mint. There's also a considerable phenolic/medicinal/bandage note floating around. The palate leads with toffee, citrus, pine sap and a crisp rye zing. The citrus and sweetness grow with time, but are kept in check by a burly pepperiness. The looooong finish is boldy tangy and earthy. Full of cloves and brown sugar.

This is a grand warm winter rye. Reading-by-the-fireplace stuff. Willett emptied this barrel right on time. At 8 years, the spirit has matured well, picking up depth and darkness (if I may be esoteric) without even a whisper of vanilla, butter or sawdust to be found. It's highly recommended, though I doubt a single bottle of this barrel remains on any primary market.

*  *  *  *  *

All three of these ryes are recommended, and they bested all three of last week's Willett bourbons. Because the American secondary market remains an illegal operation, I cannot publicly suggest you purchase these bottles secondhand. But as far as I can tell that's the only way to buy Willett single barrel MGP ryes, unless the distillery still puts them on their gift shop shelves. Good luck hunting one down!

Availability - Secondary market?
Pricing - ???

Rating - 89

Willett Week Two: 7 year old rye, barrel 56

On Monday, I reviewed a powerful scrumptious MGP-distilled Willett rye. It was 6 years old. Today, it's a 7 year old. And, it's my bottle!

I brought it along to the recent whiskey tasting that I've referenced a few times on this blog. From what I gathered no one there had ever tried something like this before. It elicited lots of Whoas. No one hated it. But I gathered that it was more respected than loved.

Bottler: Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (also known as Willett Distilling Company)
Brand: Willett
Range: Family Estate Single Barrel (WFE)
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

Age: 7 years

Maturation: New American Oak

Region: Bardstown, Kentucky (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Barrel: 56

Alcohol by Volume: 57.2%
(From my bottle)

The nose has a layer of orange, cherry and lime hard candies. Some bubblegum too. But it also has a dirty, salty, candle wax layer which reminds me, oddly, of Clynelish. Some ham. After a while it flashes moments of cherry blossoms (I'm an asshole for that one). While those nose notes are often quite quiet, the palate is much louder. Tart citrus, mint and tart cherries. Mellower spirit action than in the 6yo. A mild bitterness. A medicinal note and seaweed saltiness. Citrus and cherries in the finish too, though it's never sweet. A little bitter and tart. More rye spirit. Grows saltier with time.

Fascinating. Its sniffer was silent for almost ten minutes, and didn't really open up for nearly a half hour. I wasn't worried about oxidation because I sealed off samples as soon as I'd opened the bottle. Meanwhile the palate was just as rockin' as any MGP rye. Then there are all the (good, but weird) coastal single malt Scotch notes. They're not the whole show, in fact they're sort of tertiary. But they're there. The finish was very solid and the palate never tumbles into sweetness or oakiness. It's very good overall, but no match for the 6yo.

Availability - Secondary market?
Pricing - ???
Rating - 86

Willett Week Two: 6 year old rye, barrel 124

Willett's MGP-distilled rye is my favorite American whiskey. The single barrels vary, but they always deliver a tremendous and nuanced experience. Last week, I did a whole schpiel about the crazy pricing of Willett's single barrel bourbons. I won't do the same for the ryes because I already covered that territory here and here. Needless to say, they ain't selling for $40 a pop anymore.

Because they're scarce and because they ain't $40, we no longer open two Willett ryes each year here. Maybe one every two years at this rate. But I was able to align three samples of the current era of WFE single barrels to compare and contrast in one sitting. And, hey, it's even a verticale this time!

Bottler: Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (also known as Willett Distilling Company)
Brand: Willett
Range: Family Estate Single Barrel (WFE)
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

Age: 6 years

Maturation: New American Oak

Region: Bardstown, Kentucky (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Barrel: 124

Alcohol by Volume: 58.7%
(From a purchased sample)

The nose begins with saline and candied fennel seed (which is a thing). Then black licorice and peach candy. It also has a dirtier side that moves to the forefront with time. It strikes of industrial grease and drywall dust. It's the most expressive nose of the three ryes. The happily not-hot palate is full of Luxardo cherries, clementines, smoked whole cloves (a thing?), mint leaves, brown sugar, and charred chiles. This runs along a bass rumble of rye power, a robust bundle of peppers and dry spices that almost reads smoky at times. It finishes with spicy cherries, chiles, molasses, salt and a burst of rye spirit. And it's so long...

I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a burst of melancholy on the last sip. Of the three ryes, this one was most reminiscent of what once was.......those $40-$50 4-6yos we were much spoiled to have four years ago.

I'm going to set those romantic memories right over here, so I can continue this post.

This is an excellent rye. Each new characteristic, spun out by the grain, merges perfectly with every element that came before. The oak has done its subtle work without intruding. And then finish is right on pitch and unending. Damn.

Availability - Secondary market?
Pricing - ???
Rating - 90

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye 8 year old single barrel 971

The plan seemed airtight. I'd save my sample of Thomas H. Handy (2011 edition) rye for a special occasion. And after my second daughter arrived, I knew this was the moment. Then I pulled the sample bottle — poured for me by Florin (a prince) five years ago — from storage, only to discover that 2/3s of the whiskey had evaporated and the remainder was full of swirling murk. I'm an idiot for waiting so long. And yes I'm an idiot for having given it not one, not two, but three sips just to make sure it was really spoiled. It was really spoiled. Moral of the story: DON'T WAIT FIVE YEARS TO CONSUME A SAMPLE.

Now the night was zipping by and I wanted to taste something while my nose and palate were still working, so I grabbed my last Smooth Ambler / MGP single barrel rye sample. It was also from Florin (a prince) but from only 2.5 years ago. That was back in the day when these bottles were selling for 1/5th of their current "value" on the secondary market. But I love full strength MGP rye more than most single malts, so here we go.

Brand: Old Scout
Company: Smooth Ambler
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

Region: Maxwelton, West Virginia (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Age: 8 years
Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley
Retailer: Davidson's
Barrel: 971
Bottled: 11/12/14

Alcohol by Volume: 60.9%

NEAT
The nose starts off bourbon-like, thick with vanilla, caramel and cherry syrup. Then apricot and dark chocolate notes arise. Underneath is a floral rye note, and a minor pickle brine thing. And cinnamony churros! A good lack of heat. The palate is more rye-ish. Dark dusty spices, a jar of multicolored peppercorns. Salted caramels and fennel seed. Sweet and tannic with a velvet texture and very little burn. It finishes with honey and black pepper. Sweet lemons, fennel seed and barrel char. Medium length.

Gonna drop it to the standard Old Scout Rye abv:

WITH WATER (~49.5%abv)
The nose becomes more focused. Caramel candies, mandarin oranges, cloves and a hint of flower blossoms. The rye element intensifies in the palate. All vanilla and caramel stuff has been stripped away. It's very spicy and peppery. Hints of citrus and tannins. The finish is all zing. Tangy citrus. Feisty pepper. Curmudgeonly char.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
This is an impressively easy drinker considering the considerable (sorry) alcohol content. The rich oak notes in its nose will likely appeal to bourbon fans. Rye enthusiasts will prefer the palate over the nose. That's where the rye lies. It dilutes well too, which is another plus.

Due to all that oak, I think it's a half step back of Willett's similarly aged MGP rye, but it's close enough to provide some similar joys. This was a good buy back when this stuff was $50-$65. And, girl, I'm missing those days.

Availability - Secondary market only
Pricing - allot of munny
Rating - 87

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: James E. Pepper 1776 Barrel Proof Straight Rye

To begin with, this whiskey has nothing to do with the actual James E. Pepper, nor his old brands, nor the year 1776. It's a two year old MGP-distilled rye bottled by a non-distiller producer. So I'm not going waste your time with another American 'craft' whiskey company's fish tale; I'll just focus on the liquid, which was distilled by the funnest whiskey factory on these shores, The Midwest Grain Products WonderFactory™. The regular Pepper rye, also from MGP, is bottled at 50%abv. They did a smaller batch of "barrel proof" rye and, thankfully, it was priced under $40. Thank you to Florin (a prince) for this sample!

Distiller: Midwest Grain Products
Bottler: James E. Pepper (via Georgetown Trading Co.)
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey
Region: Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Age: 2 years
Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley
Maturation: New American oak

Alcohol by Volume: 58.6%

NEAT
There's a lot of pickle juice in the nose which clashes with an aggressively perfume-y floral note. Brown sugar, vanilla and Old Spice aftershave. There's a root beer note that swings toward cream soda after a while. The palate is hot. Hot. And also hot. White, unaged rye. Peppercorns. Brown sugar syrup. Rice pudding. The aforementioned heat starts to turn bitter and acidic on the tongue, soon going metallic and bloody. It does seem to mellow after 30 minutes, though perhaps my tongue is dead. The finish is hot, sweet, metallic and ashy. An undercurrent of paint fumes.

WITH WATER (~46%abv)
Fewer pickles on the nose, more perfume. Pine needles and orange candies stuck to the carpet. Gives the illusion of smelling more mature because the roughness is watered down. The palate is milder, with some new Brazil nut and earthy/rooty notes. But it's also turning more chemical by the minute. Still bitter. A hint of caramel sweetness in the background. The finish is the same as the palate with the addition of some pickle juice and paint.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
I am going to assume the tasters over at J.E.P. found something special in this rye that I did not. Though I am a rabid MGP rye fan, I'm having a difficult time finding something positive to say about this whiskey. Why they didn't give this very very very very young rye a few (or several) more years in oak to let it finish baking, I don't know. At this point it's hot, metallic, chemical and ashy. Again, MGP rye is the easiest whisk(e)y to sell me on, but I doubt I'd ever drink this one again. In fact, this makes me not want to try the regular 100 proof version. (FWIW, I wasn't a big fan of their barrel aged brown ale either.)

Availability - A couple dozen US retailers still have it
Pricing - $35-$40
Rating - 71

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: High West Rendezvous Rye, Vine & Table Barrel Select (barrel 957)

Something else was on my calendar for today's review, but circumstances call for this whiskey. If you hadn't heard, High West was purchased by Constellation Brands for $160 million of money.  The Perkinseseses are staying onboard, which is good.  The funny(?) thing is that High West made hay due to their barrel picking and blending. Meanwhile, distilling is a very different business and science. No one really knows how their High West's aged spirit will fare. Like Willett, they'll have to segue from high-quality products sourced from long-running distilleries to their own distillate. And that's at least one strike against them. I am rooting for them though. It takes guts to open a whiskey business in Utah.....and then succeed. And I do love me some Rendezvous Rye.

Today's bottle isn't the usual Rendezvous. High West has (or had, depending on Constellation) a Barrel Select program, wherein retailers could get an exclusive barrel of Rendezvous or Double Rye with extra maturation. In this instance, High West poured the blended contents of regular Rendezvous -- 6yo MGP rye + 16yo Barton rye -- into an ex-bourbon (American Prairie?) barrel and let it age for another two-and-a-half years before bottling at barrel strength. Thus it's a different whiskey than Rendezvous and, as to be expected, more expensive. Ignoring the older component, consider that this Barrel Select is mostly 8 year old MGP stuff, so $70 is a reasonable price in this market.

Since High West is in the news and I attended Vine & Table's Expo this past weekend, I figured it's time to taste this stuff officially.

Product: Rendezvous Rye
Producer: High West
Distilleries: Barton and MGP

Type: Blend of Straight Rye Whisky
Region: Utah (High West), Indiana (MGP), Barton (Kentucky)

Mashbills: Barton - 80% rye 10% corn 10% malted barley
MGP - 95% rye 5% malted barley
Maturation, part 1: Barton 16yo and MGP 6yo, separately, in new white oak barrels
Maturation, part 2: 2.5 year marriage together in an ex-bourbon barrel

Barrel #: 957
Bottle #: 40

Alcohol by Volume: 53%
(notes taken from my bottle's midpoint)

NEAT:
The nose starts off with a surprising dried fruit note; think apricots, pineapple and golden raisins. Plenty of creamy vanilla notes. No pickle juice (for those who fear it). Some fun notes of root beer and hazelnut liqueur poke out here and there. Eventually it develops a big Rolos candy note that nearly takes over. A lot of ethyl heat blocks the palate for the first couple of sips. But then the aggressive high-rye spices rush in, followed by an old bourbon character (lots of corn and vanilla). Its sweetness is of the brown sugar and maraschino cherry sort. Some black cherry soda. With time the spices shift towards jalapeño pepper. It also picks up some plain oak notes as well. At first the finish is all maraschino cherries on vanilla ice cream. Then there's plain sweet & heat, along with dried fruit. After later sips, it trends towards bitter oak and pencil shavings.

WITH WATER (~40%abv)
The nose is all dried fruit at first. Then vanilla takes over, followed by smaller notes of root beer, peanut dust, and orange oil. Something darker and grungier lurks in the background. The palate gets saltier. Plenty of zing remains, though it's more pepper than ethyl. Fruit punch. Kind of a peppier version of Canadian rye. The finish is sweet and tannic, with notes of vanilla and bananas.

WORDS WORDS WORDS:
I was actually prepared to pan this rye. Upon opening the bottle, Kristen and I found it too hot to drink. Even when reduced to 43%abv, the ethyl stayed put. Thus I had planned to reduce it to 40%abv to see if I could break through the heat.  But now that the bottle is at its halfway point, the whiskey has calmed down considerably, and thankfully, so I could take proper notes. Now I prefer it neat!

With the joyous nose as its strong point and the finish its weakest, this Barrel Select proves to be unique and different than the regular Rendezvous. If it were priced above $100 like most 8yo MGP ryes, I'd say skip it. But if you're already out $60+ for the regular Rendezvous, this is worthwhile at $70, especially if you favor dried fruit over MGP's pickle juice.

Availability - Vine & Table only
Pricing - $69.99
Rating - 85 (when neat)

Four MGP Ryes and Two Judges

The Two Judges, my much better half and I:

Not pictured: Willett

The four MGP ryes:
--Single Cask Nation's MGP 8 year old Rye, barrel #52
--Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 year old Rye, barrel #849 for K&L
--Redemption 7 year old Barrel Proof Rye, batch 6
--Willett 6 year old Family Estate Single Barrel Rye, barrel #122

With this being Kristen's birthday week I elected to review this string of MGP barrel proof rye.  Why?  Because my wife and I both enjoy the stuff.  And I'm not sure if I can say that about many (or any) other whiskies.  Before I did my four tastings, Kristen tried them (via small pours mind you, because damn) all side by side and ranked them by preference.  Here are her notes:

Kristen's notes:
Single Cask Nation's MGP 8 year old Rye, barrel #52 -- "Smells a little industrial, or am I influenced by the sample label's typeface?  Unremarkable overall."  RANK: 4

Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 year old Rye, barrel #849 for K&L -- "Burns longer on the tongue. Cinnabon, is that you?"  RANK: 2

Redemption 7 year old Barrel Proof Rye, batch 6 -- "Burns longer in the back of the throat. A little hotter than I'd like."  RANK: 3

Willett 6 year old Family Estate Single Barrel Rye, barrel #122 -- "Least hot. Smoothest. Smell is vegetal. Cilantro?"  RANK: 1

"On my birthday I'll drink champagne! :)"

Yes you will, my dear.

---

So since she's always right, how did I fare?  Here's a summary of my reviews.  For the full reports click the links.  And because I'm silly, I gave these whiskies scores.  Anyway...

Michael's notes:
Single Cask Nation's MGP 8 year old Rye, barrel #52 -- "...very hot and difficult at full strength.  In fact, I didn't want to drink anymore of it while doing this tasting."; "...soooooper woody"; "...adding water...cleaned [it] up reasonably well."
Score: 80, though much lower without added water. -- RANK: 4

Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 year old Rye, barrel #849 for K&L -- "I wouldn't say this Old Scout is very complex, nor markedly better than the former regular 7yo release, but it's reliable as heck.  Could set your watch to it, as the old saying goes."
Score: 87 -- RANK: 2

Redemption 7 year old Barrel Proof Rye, batch 6 -- "This isn't as much of an immediate hit as the Old Scout, but it's close."; "...a little young and rough at times, thus less 'smooth'"; "...the nose is great and the palate is perfectly acceptable, but I do wish there was more going on in the finish. "
Score: 85 -- RANK: 3

Willett 6 year old Family Estate Single Barrel Rye, barrel #122 -- "...in a different league than the other three ryes this week"; "...most exotic nose I've ever experienced on a rye"; "The palate...takes on different personalities...remains totally in balance throughout. The finish brings in new characteristics and flexes plenty of stamina."
Score: 90 -- RANK: 1

On her birthday, I'll drink champagne.  But then it's back to whisky in the morning.

---

Well, we agreed.  Which is good.  So, if you won't take my whiskey word for it, listen to the lady.  We've both always loved our Willett ryes, but we've also really enjoyed the Old Scout stuff (including the bourbon single barrels).  On such things historic eternal relationships are based.  Happy Birthday, Kristen!

NOT Single Malt Report: Willett 6 year old Family Estate Single Barrel #122

And then there was Willett.  Of course there was going to be a Willett.  This is Diving for Pearls, so you can be sure of three things when you visit this site.  One, I'll give Single Pot Still Irish whiskeys ridiculously high scores.  Two, I'll bitch about all prices all the time.  Three, there will be Willett.

Once upon a time (as recently as two years ago), Willett Family Estate Single Barrel ryes were 4-6 years old, bottled at 55%abv, and were priced from $40-$55.  At the height of their popularity these regular releases were replaced by barrel proof versions, aged 6-8 years, and priced from $80-$200.  I remember the first time I saw a 7yo Willett selling for $129.99.  I came home and told my wife, "Willett has arrived."  It was now priced for "collectors", or rich dumb shits, or I don't know.  Now considered to be in the same realm as the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, and Weller 12, these single barrel Willetts are priced far from the grasp of the original fans.  Much of this has to do with retailers bloating prices.  But it does seem as if the suggested retail prices are as follows: 6yo - $80; 7yo - $90; 8yo - $120.  I bought one six and two sevens, spending more than I ever have (and probably ever will) for an American whiskey, and then I bid Willett adieu.  I covered all of this better in a post last year.

This is my bottle of one of the 6 year old single barrels.  I opened it this winter because we were repeatedly told that El Niño was going to open up the skies and everyone in California needed to build an ark.  And nothing is better than sitting next to a crackling fireplace, sipping Willett with someone you love, while rain thrums against the roof.  So open the bottle we did!  And then it never rained.

Bottler: Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (also known as Willett Distilling Company)
Brand: Willett Family Estate Single Barrel
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

Age: 6 years

Maturation: New American Oak

Region: Bardstown, Kentucky (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Barrel: 122
Bottle: no info listed

Alcohol by Volume: 58.2%

The last of the four MGP ryes this week, this is the only one that actually came from my stash.  Specifically, this pour came from about the midpoint.  No water was added

The nose is remarkably fruity at first.  Lots of musty overripe tropical fruits and orange oil.  Toasted oak and toasted almonds arise from underneath eventually taking over, mingling with smaller notes of mint, caramel, and vanilla bean.  With 20+ minutes in the glass, the rye grows darker (if something can smell darker). Burnt bacon and wood smoke notes meet arugula and jalapeños.

Enormous pepper and dill notes are balanced out by brown sugar and dark cherry sweetness in the palate.  Sometimes there's a bright fresh note like lemon-cucumber water, but then that's swooped away by raspberry-syrup-filled dark chocolate.  With time the pepper note moves from black corns to cayenne.  Things get a little earthy and bitter, though again it's met with a fruity sweetness.

In the finish there's toffee and bubblegum, but also peppercorns and a slight herbal bitterness.  Some dark cherry syrup.  Marzipan and mint.  A rye seed or two.  Tremendous length.

COMMENTS:
You know, I'd prepared this whole screed about how this was not only not worth the $200 prices dumb retailers are selling it for, but that it wasn't even worth the $80 I'd paid for it.  But, it is worth the $80 I paid for it.  This whiskey, like a number of Willetts before it, has the It Factor.  It's in a different league than the other three ryes this week, though two of them were quite good.  Is it better than the the ol' $45 4 year olds?  Possibly not.  But if one takes quality into account, those 4yos were underpriced (gasp! I said it!).  Other than the BTAC Thomas H. Handy releases, there was no comparable rye on the market back then, and those THHs started at $80.  Is this whiskey worth $200?  NOPE.  That's not an insult.  This is the first time I've found a contemporary American whiskey to be worth nearly $100.

So, what is this It Factor?  It begins with the most exotic nose I've ever experienced on a rye, but then the nose progresses, developing into new angles, never drifting too oaky or spirity.  The palate also takes on different personalities, but also remains totally in balance throughout.  The finish brings in new characteristics and flexes plenty of stamina.  I have no idea how the Kulsveens do this, but they do it.

Tomorrow, I'll reveal what my wife though of these four ryes, and if we need the UN to help sort out the ensuing conflict.

Availability - This barrel may have sold out, but there are other 6yo Willet ryes out there
Pricing - I bought this one for $79.99, but have seen other 6s selling north of $100
Rating - 90

NOT Single Malt Report: Redemption 7 year old Barrel Proof Rye, batch 6

On Monday, it was Single Cask Nation's single MGP barrel.  On Tuesday, it was one of K&L's exclusive Smooth Ambler MGP barrels.  Today, it's a small(?) batch of barrel proof MGP rye bottled by Redemption, a Bardstown Barrel Selections brand.

Redemption also has a regular 46%abv MGP rye release without an age statement (though I think it's two years old).  They have two different MGP-distilled bourbons as well.  So basically, no MGP would mean no Redemption.  And Redemption, much like Smooth Ambler and Willett, publicly recognizes their product's source and correctly lists "Distilled in Indiana" on their labels.

Today's sample comes to us courtesy of the generosity of Mr. Sku of Recent Eats fame.

Brand: Redemption
Company: Bardstown Barrel Selections (with the barest of bare bones website)
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

Age: 7 years

Maturation: New American Oak

Region: Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley
Batch: 6

Alcohol by Volume: 61.3%

For comparison purposes, I tried this rye side-by-side with yesterday's single barrel 7yo Old Scout rye.  No water was applied to either.

The nose is much closer to the Old Scout than the SCN barrel.  Cinnamon bread and carrot cake lead off, then a little bit of whole grain mustard.  There's some rumbly rye spirit throughout, though it's not hot, considering the ABV.  A hint of rye bread and dill.  Bits of plaster and vinyl.  Maybe some dried cheese.  A nice late hit of cloves arrives later on.

Spices in the palate.  Cassia cinnamon, ginger powder, and cardamom.  Then vanilla, maraschino cherries, and a little bit of black pepper.  Robotussin.  Grape juice (weird).  It's plenty sweet and a little warmer than the nose, but still very palatable.

It finishes with black cherry soda, cayenne pepper, tart berries, and some sharp young rye stuff.  The sweetness mellows out.

COMMENTS:
This isn't as much of an immediate hit as the Old Scout, but it's close.  It can be a little young and rough at times, thus less "smooth", yet it's still fun if one's up for an adventure.  I'm always down for some excitement.  For me, the nose is great and the palate is perfectly acceptable, but I do wish there was more going on in the finish.  If this was priced in the $50-$60 range, I'd get a bottle.  But it's up in the $80-$90 range, so I'll leave it on the shelf for someone else.

Availability - Many specialty liquor retailers in the US
Pricing - usually $80-$90, though some places on the East Coast have it closer to $70
Rating - 85

NOT Single Malt Report: Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 year old Rye, barrel #849 for K&L Wines

If you're new to American whiskies, here's the scoop with this rye.  Smooth Ambler is a whiskey company based in West Virginia.  Though they're distilling their own spirit right now -- and bottling some of it -- they started their business by bottling rye and bourbon that was actually distilled by Midwest Grain Products (MGP) in Indiana.  This was their "Old Scout" brand.  Their MGP rye was a 7 year old, released in batches assembled from a number of barrels, and bottled at 49.5%abv.  Occasionally they also released barrel proof single barrels of rye (and bourbon).  And sometimes they sold those barrels exclusively through specific retailers.  From what I've read, they've started to run short on all those rye barrels.  In the meantime, they're focusing on releasing their own whiskey.

The rye whiskey I'm reviewing today (7 years old, barrel 849) was one of the MGP single barrels that was sold only through one retailer, in this case K&L Wine Merchants.  I foolishly(?) missed out on securing one of K&L's single Old Scout rye barrels, but luckily Whisky Man Florin did not.  So, many thanks to Florin for this sample.

Brand: Old Scout
Bottler: Smooth Ambler
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

Age: 7 years

Maturation: New American Oak

Region: Maxwelton, West Virginia (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley
Retailer: K&L Wine Merchants
Barrel: 849

Alcohol by Volume: 61.7%

For comparison purposes, I tried this rye side-by-side with the SCN rye from yesterday's review.  No water was applied to either.

There's gentler oak and much less ethyl on the nose of this rye compared to that of the SCN rye.  It starts with caramel sauce and salty air.  Then cinnamon and loads of whole cloves.  With time in the glass, the whiskey develops sizable notes of vanilla fudge and cream soda.

Entirely drinkable at this ABV.  The palate starts off peppery and briney, but also has a good dose of brown sugar and snickerdoodle cookies.  Some spearmint leaves too.  A nice bitter bite around the edges, with mulled wine in the middle.  It develops a little bit of a fizzy bitter lemon note after a while.

Caramel, brown sugar, and spearmint in the finish.  A bit more of a spicy zing with time.  And then molasses.  The mint leaves soon turn to mint candy.

COMMENTS:
It's as if this isn't even remotely related to yesterday's whiskey.  I wouldn't say this Old Scout is very complex, nor markedly better than the former regular 7yo release, but it's reliable as heck.  Could set your watch to it, as the old saying goes.  Even with all the alcohol and years of oak, it isn't a palate wrecker like the SCN.  Thank goodness.  If you have a bottle of barrel 849 in your stash, there's no need to hoard it for eternity.  Bust it out the next time you want some fulfilling big rye.  Meanwhile, the rest of us will be without.  :(  Enjoy!

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - $54.99
Rating - 87