Tag: rye whiskey
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Sagamore Spirit 8-Year Scoresheet & Review
Rye whiskey is slowly coming into a revitalization, undoubtedly aided by the ongoing (if recently stagnating) popularity of bourbon. Many bourbon drinkers looking to expand their tastes beyond the corn-dominant spirit dabble with rye whiskey, likely because several bourbon distilleries produce ryes of similar quality. This is one reason that…
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Elijah Craig Toasted Rye Scoresheet & Review
Whiskey and toasted barrels go hand-in-hand more than one might initially think. It’s not uncommon for casks to undergo both charring and toasting prior to being filled with new make. Yet the slight innovation to use a secondary vessel that emphasizes the toasting process for previously matured whiskey is a…
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Just the Sip: Thomas H. Handy 2022 Review
The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) is largely considered the peak American whiskey product line. Although the Van Winkle expressions (also from Buffalo Trace) are often considered more valuable, in part due to their rarity, BTAC is arguably more comprehensive and even desired in some circles. As with many bottles…
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Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Rye Whiskey Scoresheet & Review
“Adventurous” is one of the last words I’d use to describe Kentucky rye whiskey. Historically speaking, this style has clung closely to its bigger, corn-dominant sibling. The reason is simple: Kentucky ryes often utilize barely legal or just past barely legal rye mash bills, meaning the dominant grain is only…
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Just the Sip: Wilderness Trail 7-Year Bottled in Bond Rye Review
Wilderness Trail co-founder Pat Heist (aka “Dr. Pat”) is known for being partial to wheated bourbon. Likewise, when I visited the distillery in 2021, I was most won over by their wheated bourbon, which remains a personal favorite. However, arguably the most celebrated whiskeys produced by the Danville-based brand are…
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WhistlePig PiggyBack 6-Year Rye Scoresheet & Review
The subject of cocktails can be tricky when the launching point is distilled spirits. More specifically, when bottles are marketed or recommended for use in cocktails, they’re often viewed in a dismissive manner. After all, if a spirit isn’t enjoyable neat but can be incorporated into a good (even great)…
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Pikesville Scoresheet & Review
Many long-time whiskey drinkers might remark that their spirit of choice simply isn’t made like it once was. The actual process itself isn’t far removed from years past, but the final products of today often taste different than their previous iterations. This is regardless of how much a given distillery…
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A Midwinter Night’s Dram (Act 10, Scene 4) Scoresheet & Review
Many recent whiskey fans probably know High West as a pioneer of modern American craft distilleries. Considering their tenure and current production volume, however, labeling this Utah brand as “craft” feels a bit disingenuous. Take their pinnacle, recurring release, for example: A Midwinter Night’s Dram, which had a yield of…
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Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Cornerstone Scoresheet & Review
“Cornerstone” is an interesting name for a limited release from a distillery otherwise known for its everyday, budget-friendly bottles. One could easily argue it’s a name more befitting a core product that anyone can walk into a store and purchase, making it a foundational piece for the producing party. The…
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Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Batch 2 Scoresheet & Review
Jim Beam had no shortage of new products to entice drinkers between 2019 and 2020. On top of several permanent and limited bourbon releases, the Clermont-based distillery also brought a slew of rye whiskey releases under the Knob Creek and Old Overholt labels. In the case of Knob Creek, consumers…
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George Dickel Rye Scoresheet & Review
Theoretically, George Dickel Rye is the perfect product to throw people off. Many consumers associate the Tullahoma distillery with its Tennessee whisky (bourbon), which has a reputation for tasting a certain way. It’s to the point that whenever people see a bottle of sourced whiskey that says, “Distilled in Tennessee,”…
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Jack Daniel’s Rye Scoresheet & Review
Rye whiskey has been enjoying something of a renaissance recently. Previously seen as little more than an ingredient for cocktails, drinkers are gunning for certain ryes with a fervor that can eclipse similar bourbon releases. And while rye whiskey still has a ways to go before coming close to recapturing…
