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What Rye Are You Drinking? Summer 2013


GaryT
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Back into the AE Rye again last night and the night before. First bottle is gone and getting started on the second (and last). Hopefully a sympathetic fellow SBer is going to enable my new habit and acquire a few more for me soon!

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Thank you to my friend for helping me get the bottle of Saz18 2012.

I popped that open and had two pours.

On my third, I did a direct comparison to a Hirsch 22 rye and the H22 rye is a clear winner at least against Saz18 2012 version.

The Saz18 is lighter in color, has a slightly metallic or chemical/acetone nose which carries to the taste and finish.

The H22r is deeper in color, much nicer nose with something like butterscotch and nice tone of sweetness with great balance taste and finish.

Saz18 has a longer finish but it's more of a longer burn.

Both are really good but the Hirsch is a lot better and what I rather drink.

If there is an emotional attachment I thought I would be loving the Saz18 as I have never had it and really wanted to try.

Cheers

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Bought a bottle of Baby Saz on the Fourth of July. I am not sure which surprised me more...being able to purchase alcohol on a holiday in Indiana or seeing Baby Saz on the shelf. I am sure that it is available throughout Indiana, but I rarely see it at the places that I frequent.

Another good lesson in never trusting a first pour. My first pour wasn't very spectacular. I tried neat and then with a few cubes of ice. I am a fairly cheap dude so I fretted about paying a little extra for something not so extra compared to other options (e.g, Ritt BIB). However, I have learned here that you always give things a little time. So, I tried another pour the next day and it was like a totally different whiskey. I really enjoyed the second pour. I am not good at describing flavors but I noticed a nice spice taste and a flavor similar to the old clove gum that you could buy. The spice flavor seemed to linger for awhile. It didn't seem to have as much bite or mouthfeel (oiliness) as Ritt BIB. While I think I slightly prefer Ritt BIB, I want to give this one more time. However, my "second" impression was very favorable.

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Vatted Old Scout rye with 12 yr Zaya rum tonight.. Sipping on a bit of the 65-35 rye-rum combo, not bad but I think I will have to cut it to 80/20... It is a bit sweet right now

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I recently received a sample of Hirsch 21 rye from a generous SBer so I decided to do a quick comparison with my other open older ryes: Classic Cask 21 (2005) and VWFRR (2011).

These three have a lot in common, so I focus on the differences....

The nose of the H21 is brown sugar forward with a touch of aged rum and noticeable wood. The VWFRR has more of a pine and maple syrup thing going on and is the sweetest of the three. The CC21 has more oak and leather and is the boldest of the three.

On the palate the CC21 has prominent tobacco, dark chocolate, leather, and baking spice notes and a fairly dry finish. The rum and brown sugar from the nose of the H21 carries on to the palate, but it's more of a burnt brown sugar. The H21 is very sweet for a split second, but then turns as dry as the CC21. The VWFRR has a nice balance between dry oak and sweet caramel. For all of the wood in these three ryes, I wouldn't say that any of them are tired or over-oaked. Each is vibrant in its own way.

All three of these are fantastic, but I realized why VWFRR has so many fans. Enough wood to appeal to the termites, but sweet enough for those that shy away from old, dry pours. The Hirsch 21 was really interesting. Surprisingly unique (considering it was distilled in the same year as the CC21, 1983, and is presumably from the same batch of barrels) with more sugar and spice than tobacco and leather (which I find in so many old ryes). The Classic Cask was my pick of the three, because it was the biggest and boldest. It slaps you across the face from start to finish. With that said, it's not a pour that will appeal to everyone.

I'd rate all of them in 90s.

Edited by c2walker
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Great notes c2walker, thank you! I love older ryes and the VWFRR is the only one I have of the three you tried and it is one of my absolute favorites. I am always on the lookout for old ryes, just can't get enough of that leather, tobacco and wood. Thanks again for the notes, sounds like you had a great night. Cheers1

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Back into the Baby Saz tonight. This bottle has been open since October of 2010, and it is still over half full. As you might have guessed, it's not one of my favorites, but I was in the mood for a change up tonight. Overall it's not bad, but if the pine notes could be cut in half it would be a lot better.

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Wlllett 5yr last night. Oddly, i like the bottle of the 4yr better.

Sadly, only three year available locally for the time being.

B

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Awful day at work and weather outside was just as shitty,so VWFRR it was and it seemed all in the world was right once again.

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Last night it was WTR101 and Willett 5 year single barrel. I prefer the latter for sure. It was a bottle from Total Wine in Orlando that I picked up for $30.

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Rittenhouse DSP-1 has taken over my bottle of Whistlepig for go to pour lately.

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That'll save ya money. I'm still working on a bottle of Dickel Rye. It seems rye bottles don't empty as fast as bourbon - love/hate vs. love/love, I suppose.

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Ritt BIB DSP-354, and absolutely loving it. Hoping the DSP-1 is just as good (and just as cheap!)

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Willet 5yr tonight. Almost done with this bottle, and all I've seen lately have been 3-4yrs.

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That'll save ya money. I'm still working on a bottle of Dickel Rye. It seems rye bottles don't empty as fast as bourbon - love/hate vs. love/love, I suppose.

Just the phrase I was looking for; "love/hate vs love/love". I tend to use my ryes in Manhattans vs my bourbons on the rocks so the extra effort to do so doesnt happen on a work night

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Having a sample of Saz 18 provided by a very generous SB member (thanks again!). This is one of the best older ryes I have tasted, will have to try to find a bottle this Fall.

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Having a very nice pour of HW21 (sample provided by a very generous SB member, thanks!). I am really enjoying this tonight, may have to try to get a bottle.

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Having a very nice pour of HW21 (sample provided by a very generous SB member, thanks!). I am really enjoying this tonight, may have to try to get a bottle.
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Saz 18 2011 - been several months since I've last poured it, and definitely enjoying it more tonight than when I last had it!

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Don't know about KY but it was regularly available here until a few months ago and then seemingly overnight it got scarce so you may want to look soon to see if it is still available.

Thanks for the heads up! Wonder why the overnight buying spree? Did it get rated number one on some blog?

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