What's your favorite straight rye whiskey bottling?

[Paradox]

Some time ago I made a poll asking people what's your favorite single barrel bottling (please feel free to still vote in it if you haven't already done so), and now I figured let's do a poll to see what peoples favorite straight rye whiskey bottling is. I'll list quite a few just to be fair to everyone. If your favorite happens to be one I do not list please just post what it is and I'll take it into consideration when the votes are tallied. (Polls cannot be edited so I cannot add it) Thanks in advance for 'playing'!




Same as it was in choosing just one favorite single barrel bottling, I know its hard to pick just one of these, but try your best.

[OneCubeOnly]

My vote went to the 13yo Van Winkle. I should point out that I've never had the 12yo.

[robbyvirus]

The 13 yo Van Winkle Family reserve rye is indeed excellent, but the 12 yo Old Tyme rye edges it out. There's no question it's the best rye I've ever had, hands down. That said, I'm also partial to the Sazerac 18 yo and the Black Maple Hill when it was still made by Van Winkle. I haven't tried the new Black Maple Hill Rye...has anyone here had it yet?

[tlsmothers]

The 13 yo Van Winkle Family reserve rye is indeed excellent, but the 12 yo Old Tyme rye edges it out.

I've never had the 12. I am drinking the 13 now, but have only tried the most recent batch. I hear some folks say they like the earlier versions better. I want to try to make a Manhattan with it, but have never slowed down to do it.

haven't tried the new Black Maple Hill Rye...has anyone here had it yet?

I just got the BMH 18 yo rye in at the store, but it's so bloody expensive, I haven't popped a bottle for myself yet. I've never had any of the BMH Lawrenceburg or current.

[doubleblank]

My brother is working on a project out in LA, CA. I had him bring me a 16yo BMH and the 18yo BMH rye. I'm bringing the 16yo to the festival...but took the 18yo rye to Canada for the Stampede. As Gary has noted the canadians are big fans of ryes.....all I can say is that the BMH 18yo rye was a big hit with my canadian friends. Their first comments were along the lines of...."this is like a canadian rye but much richer". I liked it alot and I'm not a big rye drinker ...but the ORVW 12yo OTR is changing my opinion of ryes in general.

Randy

[tlsmothers]

Thanks for the feedback on the BMH 18. I may just break down and bring it to the Gazebo.

[voigtman]

The Black Maple Hill rye is selling for $81.99 here, which is too rich for my blood, sadly . (The BMH bourbons are $79.99 for the 16 YO, $62.99 for the 14 YO and $42.99 for the 11 YO; no 21 YO here). I have a generous pour of Van Winkle family Reserve rye, 13 YO, bottle E2076 (Frankfort), in front of me right now, and it is superb. My bunkered bottles are "C" series (Lawrenceburg)and my palate is, fortunately, not good enough to find differences among superb bottles of whiskey eat your hearts out, you pesky "super-tasters, you"! Yes, I envy you folks who can taste subtle differences, but there is grace in being able to enjoy great whiskeys without always being in competition mode. I voted for the Saz 18 (the 2001 release, actually), but the Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 and Old Rip Van Winkle Old Time Rye 12 are just as great: they (Saz vs. Van Winkle) are very different styles of rye whiskey, IMHO, and picking just one is a Solomonic choice. Cheers, Ed

[robbyvirus]

they (Saz vs. Van Winkle) are very different styles of rye whiskey, IMHO, and picking just one is a Solomonic choice. Cheers, Ed

Boy, do I agree! I love both the Sazerac and the Van Winkle ryes, but they are both very different and special in their own way. To me the Saz tastes drier, but I love them both.

[clayton]

I bought a bottle of Jim Beam Rye on Friday. On opening it, the first thing I noticed was a strong aroma of black licorice. I had mixed feelings about this, since I don't especially care for black licorice. On the palate, there is some definite citrus, honey, and a musty kind of sweetness.

It's only the second rye I've had. Of the two, at this point I much prefer the WT.

[Gillman]

I'll follow up on Randy's post by adding my own Canuck vote of confidence to Black Maple Hill Straight Rye Whiskey. The bottle was brought back by a good friend from Sportsman's in Phoenix/Scottsdale. This is a single barrel bottling, 18 years old, identified as from Bardstown, so an Evan Kulsveen product.

It is interesting how such a well-aged product can taste "fresh". It has a medium body, with no harsh edges, its 95 proof goes down smoothly. There is a good background of wood smoke but no off flavours, no old rank wood taste, no tannic bitterness. The rye flavor is there but clearly this is a "legal rye" product, i.e., it contains just enough rye to meet the legal definition, and is in effect a kind of hybrid of bourbon and rye. This is a stylish drink, fit for the gentleman's club (and with a price to match). I can't place it for origin, it does not taste like Heaven Hill rye, it does not taste like Barton whiskey to me, maybe Wild Turkey's rye superannuated?

Anyway, a fine dram of whiskey. Surely, as good as the pick of the Pendennis Club in, say, 1910 - if they were lucky.

Gary