Leopold Bros, Maryland-Style Rye Whiskey

I picked up this rye a few weeks ago and have been enjoying it very much. I can say little about its vital signs, other than my bottle reads "barrel no. 3" and that it was bottled at 43% abv.

The nose is young rye quickly followed by strawberry. There is a lot of fruit. The fruit is chased by something floral. The overall nose is flat, almost smoky, like breathing in a cloud of unsweetened cocoa powder.

The taste is incredible, an amazing amount of fruit is floating in a punch bowl of rye. The rye flames out into dark chocolate, and that dark chocolate lingers well into and then all the way through finish. At the very end, that cocoa powder from the nose seems to return at the back of my throat.

There is *no* bitterness or burn, which is something of an "ah-ha" moment for me. To explain, I have always associated bitterness/burn with alcohol...but this young whiskey might have shown me the truth. I think that the bitterness/burn that I dislike might be wood (maybe the tannin?)

This is a dangerous dram, in that it disappears way to quickly from the glass.

I'm unsure how widely distributed this product is, but if you can find one...I would really recommend that you snag it. To me, this is everything that a craft whiskey should be.

It is a very good rye. I visited the distillery about a month ago and they are one of the few craft distilleries doing it like it should be done. Everything I tasted I was pleased with. They do a line of liquers that are unbelievable. They taste like the fruit, but they are not saturated with sugar.

Kudos to the new generation of distillers, the Leopolds, Tom and others.

I look forward to tasting the Maryland-style rye.

Gary

Is this a traditional straight rye, made with corn and malted barley?

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Originally Posted by tmckenzie

It is a very good rye. I visited the distillery about a month ago and they are one of the few craft distilleries doing it like it should be done. Everything I tasted I was pleased with. They do a line of liquers that are unbelievable. They taste like the fruit, but they are not saturated with sugar.

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I've seen this here in the stores but haven't tried it. I didn't realize that it was a Maryland style rye. The only thing I've had that said it was Maryland style was Pikesville Supreme (from HH). For the price, I think Pikesville is an outstanding rye so I would like to taste something that is an authentic Maryland style rye.

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Originally Posted by HRay

I've seen this here in the stores but haven't tried it. I didn't realize that it was a Maryland style rye. The only thing I've had that said it was Maryland style was Pikesville Supreme (from HH). For the price, I think Pikesville is an outstanding rye so I would like to taste something that is an authentic Maryland style rye.

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Where in Atlanta have you seen it? I would like to give it a try if I can find it.

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Originally Posted by wripvanwrinkle

I picked up this rye a few weeks ago and have been enjoying it very much. I can say little about its vital signs, other than my bottle reads "barrel no. 3" and that it was bottled at 43% abv.

The nose is young rye quickly followed by strawberry. There is a lot of fruit. The fruit is chased by something floral. The overall nose is flat, almost smoky, like breathing in a cloud of unsweetened cocoa powder.

The taste is incredible, an amazing amount of fruit is floating in a punch bowl of rye. The rye flames out into dark chocolate, and that dark chocolate lingers well into and then all the way through finish. At the very end, that cocoa powder from the nose seems to return at the back of my throat.

There is *no* bitterness or burn, which is something of an "ah-ha" moment for me. To explain, I have always associated bitterness/burn with alcohol...but this young whiskey might have shown me the truth. I think that the bitterness/burn that I dislike might be wood (maybe the tannin?)

This is a dangerous dram, in that it disappears way to quickly from the glass.

I'm unsure how widely distributed this product is, but if you can find one...I would really recommend that you snag it. To me, this is everything that a craft whiskey should be.

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I'm very sorry that I just noticed this today.

I'm so pleased you enjoyed it, but I'm more pleased that you picked up the notes that I was trying to express.

It's (around) 65% Rye, 15% Corn, and 20% malted barley. The cocoa you picked up is actually chocolate malt (I was a brewer for 15+ years), quite literally a handful of it.

The fruit you are tasting comes from acetic acid bacteria. We allow for a secondary bacterial fermentation in our cypress open fermenters which leads to esterification in the barrel. More clearly, the acetic acid that is put into the distillate by the bacteria mixes with the oxygen coming into the barrel to create fruit flavors and aromas. So those strawberry notes are from bacteria, not from yeast. The floral note is from the rye. To me, it tastes and smells very much like lavender.

We barrel all our whiskies at 49% abv (save our new BIB). We'll have more of it on the shelves in the late fall of 2012, and a BIB expression in about, shockingly, 4 years. Thank you for giving it a try.

It's not available in Atlanta, sorry.

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Originally Posted by Leopold

It's not available in Atlanta, sorry.

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Looks as though the only internet retailer on your website carrying it is TotalBeverage.net which makes since I suppose since they are local. It doesn't specifically say Maryland rye but I presume that is the same thing?

I have enjoyed your American small batch whiskey and several other products you are making so I guess I will just have to take the freight hit since I don't see much chance I will be in Colorado anytime soon!

Hmm, just noticed that they don't ship to Georgia. Guess I am out of luck unless I can track down somebody local to do me a favor!

The Rye is a seasonal release, released just after Turkey day. You're searching for dusties at this point, as the last shipment left our distributors last November, but thank you for your interest. That's the only Rye we sell currently, so if they say that they have it, i guess they have it.

More arriving in Nov. or 2012.

I bought a case of this when it was released. VERY tasty stuff. I'd be willing to trade a bottle or two to SBers who can't find it. Feel free to PM me.