Ryan & Wood Rye Whiskey from Gloucester, MA

[angler82]

Just picked up a bottle of Ryan & Wood Rye Whiskey from a liquor store in Cambridge, MA. From a quick search it looks like this whiskey was just released this week.

From the bottle:

"At our Gloucester distillery, rye is partnered with a measure of wheat and barley, then mashed, fermented and distilled 'on the grain'. The distillate ages for over two years in new charred American White Oak barrels maturing under the influence of Cape Ann's unique coastal climate."

Interesting stuff. Spicy rye flavor with a bit of the wheat. Tastes older than the other young rye I purchased recently- Willett 3yr from Julios. Almost has a Moxie soda flavor to it. I like it.

Has anyone else in Mass tried this?

[cowdery]

You were quick to the post as this was just released Tuesday. They have an interesting video here. Always a good sign when they stage their video in front of the still.

Bob Ryan mentions in the video that they made and barreled the rye first, more than 2 1/2 years ago, then started to make vodka, gin and that sort of thing. Barrels came from Brown-Forman Cooperage and since they dumped the whiskey the barrels have already been reused by a local brewery that is releasing the beer simultaneously with R&W's release of the whiskey.

I notice they're using the same bottle as Redemption.

[tmckenzie]

I have not had the finished product, but it should be good whiskey.

[DanG]

I saw this in a local liquor store (Vinnin Liquors in Swampscott) for $36 and I had to have it, as Gloucester is just a hop, skip, and short sail away. Definitely very spicy, not really all that much of the wheat in it, I thought. I think maybe it's my lack of experience with rye, but I wasn't crazy about it. If it's not too blasphemous, I'd even go so far as to say that I'd rather have a Rittenhouse BIB. Goes pretty well in a Frisco, though.

[Luna56]

Wow, I just gotta try this. Gloucester is only about 90 minutes from here, maybe a day trip is in order. I got a kick out of their mention of the Cape Ann influence. I'm picturing a Lagavulin Rye.

Anybody making rye whiskey deserves our love and support. I'm currently showin' my love with a fat pour of the Bulleit. But a quality local rye would send me 'round the bend.

Cheers!

[StraightBoston]

I've got a bottle of their Knockabout Gin (which I enjoy) and heard from them when I bought it that whiskey was aging. I might wait for a few more years in the barrel, though.

[MikeK]

A co-worker picked up a bottle of this a while back and shared. I thought it was pretty decent. Here are my tasting notes:

Nose: Strong pine notes with rye spice and solvent. When first opened I found a strong aroma of rubber which disappeared on following tastings. No one else detected this.

Taste: Vanilla creame, strong pine notes (similar to WR or some RittBIB's), syrupy buttery caramel, ginger. Sweet and rich with good mouthfeel. A slight dusty feel on the first sample that I didn't notice again.

Finish: Good length, starts sweet and fades to slightly dry, faint residual pine.

Overall: Pretty decent for 2.5 years old and their first whiskey. Nice mouthfeel and lots of interesting flavors going on. There is a softness and lack of bite that I wonder if the wheat contributes to at all. There is a good amount of sweetness, it is not crazy heavy, but I wonder if it could get to be too much if you are drinking a lot of this. The pine notes remind me of Woodford, I wonder if they are caused by the still design and lots of copper.

It is a nice effort and I give it points for lots of full crazy flavors going on. It reminds me of young HH products, not in exact flavors, but in its wild funkiness, which may or may not appeal to you. It would like it even more if the pine notes were not so strong.

[Luna56]

Excellent notes, Mike, thanks a lot.

Hope to check this juice out soon.

Cheers!

[Bourbon Boiler]

I noticed from their website that the copper still is German made. I've noticed this from a few microdistilleries. If this a case where there is a dominant manufacturer in the marketpalce that happens to be in Germany, or just a coincidence on places I've noted?

[DanG]

Just a guess, but Germany has long had many many micro-distillers so perhaps that's why the companies there have been better-prepared for the recent growth in the American micro-distillery scene.

[rockporter]

My son and I have been drinking theirgin since it came out. I spend a lot of time in Gloucester and met Mr. Ryan at a local liquor store. I tasted his rye and was impressed. Bought two bottles - one for me and one for a friend.

[tmckenzie]

I should be good stuff. Bob Ryan is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet also.

[DanG]

The rye has really grown on me since I first tried it. I also signed up for their mailing list and wrote how happy I was to see a rye from Gloucester, and Kathy Ryan wrote back saying they have tours from Monday through Saturday at 10am and 1pm. I'll try to go soon and I'll write back to report.