Tag: rye

  • Elijah Craig Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Elijah Craig Rye Scoresheet & Review

    The introduction of Elijah Craig Rye in early 2020 felt equally odd and appropriate. Odd when compared to its peers, but appropriate since other brands were catching on to rye’s growing popularity. Heaven Hill were already producing a budget-oriented rye whiskey in Rittenhouse, a bonded expression commonly used for cocktails,…

  • High West Double Rye! Scoresheet & Review

    High West Double Rye! Scoresheet & Review

    High West’s story as a whiskey producer elicits a wide spectrum of reactions. Intrigue, surprise, endearment, disappointment, confusion, the list goes on. In a 15-year span they built a reputation as a fresh face to whiskey thanks to some respectably aged (usually sourced) products, barrel selections with some curious finishes,…

  • Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Unforgotten Scoresheet & Review

    Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Unforgotten Scoresheet & Review

    Most of us are familiar with the Boss Ross quote, “we don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” Eddie Russell would likely agree, given he OK’d the original release of Wild Turkey Forgiven in 2013, an allegedly accidental blend of bourbon and rye. Turns out Forgiven was a fondly regarded…

  • Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Scoresheet & Review

    Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Scoresheet & Review

    It’s nigh impossible to be a part of the American whiskey zeitgeist and not be exposed to double oaked bourbon. The idea is simple enough: take aged whiskey and put into another fresh cask for additional aging. A whiskey’s first years in freshly charred (and toasted) barrels are generally considered…

  • Castle & Key Restoration Rye 2021 Batch 1 Scoresheet & Review

    Castle & Key Restoration Rye 2021 Batch 1 Scoresheet & Review

    American whiskey has no shortage of great stories. It’s to the point that any brand worth their salt has a tale to tell that could essentially be told by a campfire to instill a sense of wonder and appreciation for history. Although one could easily take their pick from the…

  • Michter’s Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Michter’s Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Do you ever accidentally do something backwards? That’s how I felt coming into this review. The last time I looked at an expression by Michter’s was with their Barrel Strength Rye. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that it’s a personal favorite. And yet, like most of the…

  • Willett Family Estate Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Willett Family Estate Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Willett has always been a tricky distillery for me to pin down. A host of people hold the brand in particularly high regards, largely thanks to their purple-top (Family Estate Bottled) bourbon. These coveted bottles can occasionally push the 30-year mark, but tend to land between 4 and 12 years…

  • Driftless Glen Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Driftless Glen Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Craft and otherwise newer whiskey producers are going through something of a transformation. Where these fresh faces were previously dismissed by most, oftentimes for being minimally aged while commanding high prices, they’re now being accepted and even sought-after in some cases. Among the more recent examples are producers outside of…

  • Stellum Rye Serpens Pick Scoresheet & Review

    Stellum Rye Serpens Pick Scoresheet & Review

    Ask a more casual or budget-minded drinker for their thoughts on Barrell Craft Spirits and the issue of pricing is all but guaranteed to come up. Even those in the more enthusiast-level crowd will utter similar comments. It’s the classic “weak value” versus “paying for quality” dilemma which only becomes…

  • New Riff Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review

    New Riff Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review

    New Riff is a brand I always meant to explore early into my whiskey journey, but I put them off in favor of other brands and expressions. This has only been amplified in the past 3-5 years. Not only are new names popping up left and right, but they’re often…

  • Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye (2021) Scoresheet & Review

    Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye (2021) Scoresheet & Review

    I have a soft spot for Michter’s. I thoroughly enjoyed their standard bourbon and rye when first exploring whiskey, particularly the former. Most other expressions I’ve tried from the Louisville brand have also held up well, even if the solid 10-Year expressions are difficult to justify spending $200 (or more)…

  • Barrell Seagrass Scoresheet & Review

    Barrell Seagrass Scoresheet & Review

    One whiskey release from 2021 that requires next to no introduction is Barrell Seagrass. The storm of talk and acclaim following its release was prompt, and Barrell are still riding that high with the recently released 16-Year Seagrass, which will soon be followed by a 20-Year version. Most folks won’t…