rye whiskey

Michter’s 10-Year-Old Rye Whiskey (2017) Review

There’s something special about a rye whiskey with a little age.  I’m not a giant fan of really young rye.  Two or three year old rye whiskies are best for cocktails, in my opinion.  At around the six year mark, things start to get interesting.  The young “green” note is no longer present, as the spirit has had some time to round out its edges.  Though the sharp notes are mostly gone, the rye grain still brings that zesty spicy quality I look for in this type of whiskey.  After a decade in the barrel, some rye whiskies, like this expression from Michter’s, can put you under a magic spell.  The spirit mellows out and intimately intermingles with everything the American Oak barrel it ages in brings to the table – baking spices, vanilla and caramel.

This release of Michter’s 10-year-rye whiskey marks the first special release from their new Master Distiller Pamela Heilmann.  If you’ve read Fred Minnick’s beautifully written “Whiskey Women,” you’ll know women played an important role in the whiskey world. Whiskey is still mainly a male-dominated industry, so it’s refreshing that Michter’s has promoted Heilmann as their Master Distiller.  She previously ran the Booker Noe distillery for seven years before joining the Michter’s team.

The whiskey itself is a single barrel rye bottled at 92.8 proof.  My sample came from barrel 17A37.  It goes through one of Michter’s filtration processes before being bottled.  The suggested retail price is $150.  Michter’s 2016 release of their 10-year-old rye whiskey was one of my favorites of the year.  How does the 2017 release fare?

Wonderful aromas of figs, baking spices, brown sugar, and toasted rye bread fill the nose.  On the palate, this whiskey is mouthcoating.  An initial caramel sweetness is tempered by some rye spice, followed by hints of Madagascar vanilla bean, dark brown sugar, licorice and tobacco leaf.  Slight oak tannins creep in during the medium-length finish, along with cinnamon candy and caramel.

From first sniff, I knew I’d like this whiskey.  It’s beautifully matured and delivers an aromatic nose and rich flavors you can only get from a well-aged rye whiskey.  Highly recommended. 9/10

Thanks to Michter’s for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rabbit Hole Distilling Bourbon and Rye Whiskey Review

Rabbit Hole bourbon and rye whiskey.


In 2012, former psychoanlayst Kaveh Zamanian founded Rabbit Hole Distilling.  With the help of collaborators like Larry Ebersold, former Master Distiller of Seagram’s, Zamanian began production of his whiskies.  Being such an odd mash bill, it’s highly likely they contract distilled these whiskies at other distilleries.  Their own distillery broke ground last year, and should be operational by Fall 2017.  They’ve named Cameron Talley head distiller, so he’s in charge of overseeing production. 

So, how are the whiskies?

Let’s start with their bourbon.  It’s made up of four grains: 70% corn, 10% malted wheat, 10% malted barley, and 10% honey malted barley.  The entry proof, which is the proof of the whiskey as it enters the barrel, is 110 proof.  It’s lower than the industry standard 125 proof.  This bourbon has matured for 2+ years and has been bottled at 95 proof.  On the nose, there’s a “green” quality, but that’s to be expected in such a young whiskey.  I pick up hints of toffee, nuts and herbs (especially basil), along with a touch of vanilla.  The palate is rich, thanks to the low entry proof, featuring notes of honeyed grain, yogurt parfait, and caramel alongside some spice and vanilla.  The medium finish features lingering a great spiced caramel apple note. 8/10

Rabbit Hole’s rye whiskey consists of 95% rye and 5% malted barley.  That should sound familiar, as it’s one of the popular rye mash bills from Indiana’s MGP distillery.  However, this whiskey comes from Kentucky.  Like the bourbon, the entry proof here is also 110 proof.  The 2+ year age statement and 95% bottling proof also carry over.  The nose is sharp and herbaceous, with hints of toasted rye bread, dill, and light brown sugar.  Taste-wise, rye spice quickly builds up, followed closely by caramel, baking spice and Honey Nut Cheerios.  The finish is slightly longer than the bourbon, and leaves behind a mint julep (mint, caramel) note.  7.5/10

Impressive.

I like what Rabbit Hole is doing here.  Not only do these whiskies show a lot of promise at such a young age, they’re quite rich and enjoyable as is.  That said, I’m curious to see how they would taste after a few more years of maturation.  Recommended.

Redemption Rye Whiskey Review

A year after Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits acquired Redemption Whiskey, the brand has seen a new bottle and label design.  Gone is that tall bottle, replaced by a more traditional whiskey bottle.  It sort of looks similar to the Bulleit bottle.  Looks good, but what about the more important matter – the whiskey?  

Redemption Rye is sourced from MGP in Indiana, using their 95% rye / 5% barley mash bill.  Rye whiskey drinkers will recognize this mash bill.  It’s the same one used for Bulleit Rye, Dickel Rye, and many others.  Don’t roll your eyes yet.  Proof, age, and other factors provide some differences between the brands using the same mash bill.  Redemption Rye is bottled at 92 proof.

Look at the label closely and you’ll notice it’s not a straight rye whiskey.  That’s because on the back it states the whiskey is aged no less than one year.  Press materials mention the average age being 2.5 years.  So it’s a young whiskey.  Nothing wrong with that.

As the young age implies, this is a grain-forward whiskey.  The nose is young and vibrant, giving a sharp rye grain note, Juicy Fruit gum, allspice and vanilla.  Taste-wise, the sharp grain is tempered by a little toffee sweetness.  A little airtime reveals some fruitiness along with grain spice and a hint of vanilla and dill.  The medium finish is sweet and a touch spicy.  

Not bad for a young rye, but my personal preference lends to rye whiskies a bit more mature.  I’d recommend this one more as a mixer than a sipper (makes a great Manhattan).  But at an SRP of $29.99, it’s a bit pricey for a mixer.  7/10

Redemptionwhiskey.com

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