rye whiskey

High West Bourye (2016) Review

The original bourbon and rye whiskey blend, High West’s Bourye hits shelves again in a limited release.  The first batch several years ago was a big hit for the Utah distillery.  Though High West distills whiskey, a large percentage of the current releases include sourced whiskies, something the distillery is very open about.

High West Bourye

All of the whiskies in this blend are sourced from MGP in Indiana.  They include a 9-year-old bourbon (75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley), 13-year-old rye whiskey and 17-year-old rye whiskey.  The mashbill for the rye whiskies is 95% rye, 5% malted barley.  High West isn’t disclosing ratio of each whiskey in this blend.  Bourye is non-chill filtered and bottled at a very sippable 92 proof.  The suggested retail price is $79.99.

The rich nose comes across as more high-rye bourbon than rye whiskey upon pouring the glass. After a few moments, the aromatic rye whiskies make you stand up and take notice.  The older rye whiskies provide lovely baking spices, fruit and a not-quite-sharp rye grain, alongside toasted oak.  Corn and caramel come to us courtesy of the bourbon this blend.  The complex entry is full of cinnamon, cloves, rye grain and corn mingled together beautifully over a bed of dark brown sugar and old but not overly-dry oak.  I initially hoped for a higher bottling proof, but here 92 proof is spot on.  I don’t care to add water to this.  The medium-long finish is the weakest part of this whiskey.  It’s pure rye spice over a small amount of saccharine sweetness.  That odd sweetness is slightly disappointing, but still worthy of the whiskey overall.

Folks, I have a feeling this will make my Top 10 favorite whiskies list at the end of the year.  High West founder David Perkins and Head Distiller Brendan Coyle have done a fantastic job of balancing a nicely aged bourbon and older rye whiskies.  You really get the best of both worlds.  The strong nose and full-bodied palate cover the slight shortcomings of the finish, and at the end of the day it’s a whiskey I’m glad I tasted.  This batch of Bourye is highly recommended.

9/10
(Note: A small review sample was provided by High West.)

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey Review
Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel's.

Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel’s.

During the summer of 2014, I had a chance to talk to Jeff Arnett, the Master Distiller of Jack Daniel’s.  Towards the end of the brief interview he mentioned the upcoming rye whiskey release.  Fast forward a year and a half to March 2016, and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye (JDSBR) begins hitting shelves.

This rye expression is the distillery’s first new mashbill in 100 years.  Like Arnett stated in that interview, the mashbill is broken down to 70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley.  The high percentage of rye grain should show up in the nose and palate.  Considering their traditional mash bill is 80% corn, 12% malted barley and 8% rye, it’s apparent the company wants to showcase a big rye note in the final product.

JDSBR is bottled at 94 proof and is the newest addition to the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel lineup.  It offers no age statement, which is consistent with every other offering from the distillery.  Arnett says, “You never want to over-barrel a rye whiskey so it was important for us to stay true to the style of grain forward character rather than barrel character while still allowing our barrels to interplay with the whiskey.”

There has been some talk online about wide barrel variation for Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof, the company’s last release.   Some folks claim their whiskey was not of quality, whereas I tasted whiskey from two different barrels and found both to be delicious.  I’m curious to see how this new offering will fare.

Although the mashbill has changed, the nose is unmistakably a member of the Jack Daniel’s family.  Rye grain leads off the nose, followed by familiar JD notes of sweet caramel, banana, and a little oak.  The entry is a mixture of sweet and spicy.  Rye grain is showcased nicely, providing that spiciness and a bit of sharpness.  Caramel and that JD banana note add sweetness and some richness.  The oak note comes in close to the medium-length finish, which is a touch astringent and leaves behind a sweet note.

You know, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye is pretty darn good, especially for the suggested price of $49.99.  It’s pretty much what I expected from a JD rye whiskey.  It keeps the JD characteristics, but focuses on the rye grain.  Arnett and his team have not allowed the barrel influence to dominate the whiskey.  Assuming the whiskey makers are picking great barrels, I have a feeling this will be a hit for the company.

Give this one a chance.  I think you’ll like what you taste.

8/10
(Note: A small review sample was provided by Jack Daniel’s.)

Michter’s 10-Year-Old Rye Whiskey Review (2016)

Michters 10yr RyeMichter’s 10-year-old single barrel rye whiskey is the company’s first release of 2016.  It was last seen on shelves in 2014, and was scheduled for a 2015 release.  According to press materials, Michter’s Master Distiller Willie Pratt held back the whiskey for further maturation.    This is the same story we heard for Michter’s 10-year-old bourbon release last year.  Cynics will claim this is pure marketing, but I think there’s truth to this.  If the whiskey’s not ready, the whiskey’s just not ready.

As mentioned above, this release is a single barrel release – something all of Michter’s rye whiskies share.  My sample is from barrel number 16A113.  This limited release rye whiskey is proofed down to 46.4% abv, or 92.8 proof.  As with all of Michter’s products, some filtration is employed.  The mashbill is also not disclosed.  The suggested retail price is $150, but I doubt you’ll find it for anywhere near that, thanks to the current American whiskey market.

The fragrant nose is full of dark brown sugar and baking spices.  It smells rich and sweet.  That sharp rye grain note usually found in rye whiskies is here, but is quite subdued.  Some vanilla and a small banana note round out the nose.  Think bananas foster.  I could smell this all day.  In the flavor department, the rye spice quickly becomes apparent.  Cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg swirl around a rich foundation of bittersweet brown sugar and creamy vanilla.  Slightly astringent and spicy oak develop toward the back-palate and into the finish, which is  medium-long in length.   There’s some heat at first, followed by that lovely spiced brown sugar and just a touch of mint.

Wow.

To answer the burning question of whether or not this rye whiskey is worth at least $150, I say yes.  A thousand times yes.  This is another exemplary whiskey release by Michter’s.  It’s perfectly proofed to be sipped.  Though I wish the finish were longer, it’s a small nitpick of an otherwise fantastic rye whiskey.  Highly recommended.

9/10
(Note: A review sample was provided by Michter’s.)