rye whiskey

Review: Kentucky Owl Rye Whiskey (Batch 2)

Shortly after receiving a lot of generally positive buzz from its initial offering of rye whiskey, Kentucky Owl has released batch two. The sourced whiskey, a Kentucky straight rye, is 11 years old and bottled at 101.8 proof, or 50.9% ABV. The company does not disclose which distillery (or distilleries) the whiskey came from. A bottle of this batch of Kentucky Owl should cost you about $200.

I do love a nicely aged rye whiskey, and this one doesn’t disappoint. The nose features hints of toasted rye grain, toffee, cherry and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Those notes carry over onto the palate. Juicy red cherries and toffee kick things off, developing into a melange of baking spices. The very notable rye grain character is ever present. Things start to become a touch dry on the back palate, with hints of leather and oak being added to the mix. The long finish is dry, warming, and a bit spicy.

All in all, Kentucky Owl rye whiskey batch two is a wonderful example of a well-aged rye whiskey, a category that doesn’t include many entries these days. My only concern is the whiskey’s suggested price of $200. It’s a big increase in price from batch one.

Keep in mind that, while price does not influence the score, it’s hard to justify a purchase at that price. I paid $135 for my bottle, which is well below the suggested retail price and much, much lower than the secondary market price. I know older rye whiskies are hard to come by these days, and people are happy to pay for them. Just good old capitalism at work, I suppose. As for me, it’s a hard pass at $200. But at the $135 price I paid, I’d happily purchase another.

8.5/10

Review: Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Whiskey

New to the Knob Creek limited edition family is this beauty – a cask strength, unfiltered, 9-year-old rye whiskey. In this case, cask strength means 119.6 proof. The one off (?) expression was barreled in 2009. Though there is no explicit age statement on the label, press materials stated this is 9-years-old.

A sharp eyed viewer mentioned not seeing the word “straight” on the label. I reached out to Beam, and they informed me this is in fact a straight rye whiskey, just not labeled as such.

On the nose, hints of dark caramel and toasted rye bread are joined by baking spice, orange peel, and leather notes. The palate sees more of the same. The rye grain isn’t as prominent as other high rye whiskies due to the seemingly smaller amount of rye in the mash bill, though it is at least 51%. It’s here in the form of a pleasing buttered rye toast, so no sharpness or dill note. Dark caramel and dark brown sugar add sweetness and richness, while the familiar Jim Beam roasted peanut is ever present, as is a generous sprinkling of baking spices. A touch of orange peel and some leather on the backend add more complexity. Finally some astringent old oak leads us into the finish, which is long, bittersweet and somewhat spicy. Compared to Knob Creek Small Batch Rye, this expression comes across as less sweet with a richer, more complex flavor.

The best part here is the price. In a world that sees a large percentage of limited edition releases introduced at the $100+ price point, Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye comes in at $69.99. Kudos to whoever made that decision. Older rye whiskies are becoming more and more expensive.

My conclusion – this is a no-brainer purchase. It’s that simple. 9/10

Knobcreek.com

Thanks to Knob Creek for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Review: Redemption Barrel Proof Whiskies
redemption-agedbarrelproof

Photo courtesy of Redemption Whiskey

Back in the fall of 2017, Redemption Whiskey released a trio of barrel proof whiskies consisting of two bourbons and a rye.  These are the same MGP-distilled whiskies used in Redemption’s core line, but carry higher age statements of 9 and 10 years.  They have been ‘minimally filtered’ and are available for $99.99.  Let’s take a look…

REDEMPTION BARREL PROOF 9-YEAR-OLD BOURBON

Bottled at 108.2 proof, Redemption’s Barrel Proof Bourbon comes from a mash bill of 76% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley.  The aromas are packed pretty tight, featuring hints of roasted corn, minerals, maple syrup and a sprinkling of leather.  On the palate, a nice array of flavors present themselves in a bold way, including hints of caramel corn, spice cake, as well as a touch of flint and sweet oak.  The warming finish sticks around for a while.  I don’t think water is needed for this one.  It doesn’t come across as “hot.” Rather, it’s a great example of a barrel proof whiskey whose flavors are well rounded and best enjoyed as is.  8.5/10

REDEMPTION BARREL PROOF 10-YEAR-OLD HIGH-RYE BOURBON

Slightly older is the 10-year-old High-Rye bourbon, with a mash bill of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley.  On the nose, the extra rye is evident as we find a boost in the spice department.  Hints of baking spices abound.    In addition, slightly darker caramel, vanilla bean and espresso notes are present.  Taste-wise, big flavors paint the picture: Mexican chocolate, nutmeg, caramel, and sweet oak.  The finish is long and chest-warming, with lingering hints of dark chocolate-covered toasted almonds and toffee.  Like the 9-year-old bourbon, this expression, bottled at 114.8 proof, doesn’t need any water.  It’s a well made whiskey, that’s for sure.  9/10

REDEMPTION BARREL PROOF 10-YEAR-OLD RYE WHISKEY

Last but not least, Redemption’s 10-year-old rye whiskey features a familiar MGP mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley.  It’s bottled at 116.2 proof.  The nose leans a bit towards the herbal, with hints basil and fennel sitting alongside fresh ginger and caramel.  The palate closely follows the nose.  More basil and dill at first, punctuated by dark chocolate, vanilla cream and dark toffee.  Oak spice and cigar box develop soon afterwards.  The finish is long and a touch dry, as expected, with hints baking spices, red pepper flakes and toffee.  A wonderfully aged rye whiskey that balances spice, herbs, and sweetness.  8.5/10

Thanks to Redemption Whiskey for the samples.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.