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RY3 Cigar Series II - The Oak Collection I found a bottle of the RY3 Cigar Series II - The Oak Collection - while in Maryland visiting my wife's brother. I got to try it in the store and had it again a couple of nights ago. It was great sampling in MD and did not disappoint when I had it at home. 2 of the 3 casks I love and have had before. They are Tokaji (Hungarian Oak) and PX Sherry (Spanish Oak). The final finish is Amburana (Brazilian Oak). I have been mixed on it in the past. RD1 and Barrel make Amburana finishes I like because they are influenced by the Amburana but not over the top (I have both in my collection). In my experience, it can dominate a spirit (I've had Bourbon, Rye, and Rums finished in it) and can taste way too intensely like cinnamon, spice, and wood. This Rye is rich and dense, but balanced. You get the fruity and rich flavors from the PX and the sweet Tokaji on the palette and then the cinnamon and wood notes from the Amburana. They all go together beautifully though and no one flavor totally dominates. The flavors change dramatically initial taste, palette, and finish, and some of the fruity sweetness comes through with the cinnamon and wood spice at the end. This is a whiskey you still taste 15 minutes after your last sip. Really outstanding. One of my favorite finished ryes now. 8.75/10. Below is a link to RY3's Instagram talking about the whiskey. https://www.instagram.com/p/DI4WDNDTpVx/?hl=en

I couldn't agree more. So good and cheap!

Man, I find that these bottles don't last long once they are opened. One of my favorites for the money.

I enjoy these Chattanooga bonded series. Each season is made up of a different mashbill blend which keeps it interesting. And the price is decent as well.

I recommend saving most of the bottle for the winter months. It's one of my top 3 favorite pours at Christmas time. The port finish on this one combined with the rye spices just hits right as a Christmas pour. Having said that, I've heard that the most recent batches ("Act" numbers) have gone downhill. This Act 8 was noticeably lacking combined with my other open bottle, an Act 5. But still enjoyable.

I enjoyed it quite a bit. I felt like it was better than the 5 year BiB that I had before this one. I still have one more each of the 5 and 6 year in the bunker.

We were out of this for too long and I finally uncorked its replacement. Happy Fryeday and stay cool!

Got lucky again the other day. First time I’ve even seen one in probably 10 years if not more.

Gonna make myself another 'Perseverance' (tip o' the cap to Bruce!), a cocktail for which I've developed a real fondness. I'm not certain I'll replace the bottle of Dubonnet I bought for it, though. I'll make this one and maybe one more from the original bottle, and we'll see. That'll kill off that Dubonnet, which I don't see ever using in anything else, so maybe that'll be it for my Peseverances. This will be a celebration of sorts, marking the end of a pretty stressful week ...for several reasons I won't bore y'all with. Slainte!

Now that is a great catch.

Now that’s a collection

I really enjoyed the Sagamore Spirit. That said, I could not warm up to the Midwinter night’s dram. I bought it as part of a bundle with Eagle Rare. I’ll give it another try now that I am starting to develop a taste for ryes

Thank you. I will look for the barrel aged imperial stout. It’s a personal favorite for me..

I enjoyed this one too. Haven’t sampled a Penelope I didn’t like

I have tried to find a bar to sample it but thus far, it’s been a no go. The 10 year is about $70 locally. A store pick is $95.

I will be curious to hear about the Starlight finished in Sherry cask.

Fabulous. I have found the same thing happens with a local store owner here in my part of town. I have reciprocated by sharing my knowledge about what the secondary market trends are looking like as technology isn’t his area of competency. Great Post.

In honor and remembrance of Chuck Mangione.

Makes a great manhattan if you’re so inclined.

Penelope four grain.

Finishing a real good 2018 store pick tonight. By the time I tasted it at the store and realized how good it was, this was literally the last bottle. Sometimes you only get one. Oh Well.

I met a new friend fixing his solar. It took a couple visits so we traded samples. Ive gotten into the chat experimental tonight. It is finished in ammaro barrels. The first sip was pretty terrible, but by the third it is somehow deeply satisfying. I wouldn't go seeking one out, but as a curiosity pour it is really different from pretty much any other rye I've ever had. Second photo is what I left at the house. Jb white minis are as cheap as boston rounds and come full of jb.

That 6 year was really fun. Somewhere in between the quirky early bottles and the solid mgp mimic they finally achieved.the 6 year may actually be my favorite, and is the closest to the 5th anniversary bottle to anything else they have ever released.