I was given a bottle of Templeton Rye by Penn State fans staying next to me in MN

[Jono]

Visited my son at the University of MN for the Gopher - Penn State game. Some Penn State fans we staying on the same hotel floor and

were in a very party mood...ok, they were smashed most of the time...but were friendly. Probably as a gift for being so loud I was given a

bottle of Templeton Rye. The gal who gave it to me knows the Templeton people well and must have a generous supply from them.

I had never tried it but they had a bottle open and I had a shot. It is a nice rye, despite its origins and price, which for me - free - its terrific.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Jono

[michaelturtle1]

My wife loves templeton, it is best for my marriage to keep at least one unopened bottle in the bunker for emergencies!!

[RVTsteve]

Nice story, always great to have friendly neighbors... with booze to share.

I had Templeton at a bar and liked it a lot. I remember it reminding me a bit of Rit100. I'd be happy to buy some if it had a better price point.

[Jono]

I know others have done comparisons but I will have to do a rye flight to sort them out.

[squire]

I've got no problem with bulk MGP rye but if I was going to buy a bottle it would be Bulleit, Dickel or such like. I certainly wouldn't pay an extra $20 just for the Templeton label.

[Josh]

I agree, I think Templeton is very tasty when the price is right!

[dreasoner]

Being from Iowa I use to like Templeton, when it had the Barrel , batch, and bottle number on it. Now it just doesn't taste the same and stores have cases of the stuff they can't give away. I have one more bottle of the good stuff I snagged from my mom. She bought up all the good stuff towards the end.

[squire]

dreasoner, please understand I do not wish to sound disagreeable but for the benefit of new members or visitors to our site I believe I should make the following statement:

Templeton does not make rye whisky and they never have, from the beginning they purchased bulk rye whisky from LDI and now the same stuff from the successor company MGP. All they do is repackage in a fancy bottle and sell for as much as they can get using fake history and fanciful stories about moonshine from the area being popular with gangsters far away who themselves owned distilleries.

Using batch and barrel number for stuff bought by the tank is typical of the gaming approach that has marked Templeton from the start. They used to spread the BS thicker until publicly called on the carpet by knowledgeable whisky writers such as our own Mr. Cowdery.

[Jono]

dreasoner, please understand I do not wish to sound disagreeable but for the benefit of new members or visitors to our site I believe I should make the following statement:

Templeton does not make rye whisky and they never have, from the beginning they purchased bulk rye whisky from LDI and now the same stuff from the successor company MGP. All they do is repackage in a fancy bottle and sell for as much as they can get using fake history and fanciful stories about moonshine from the area being popular with gangsters far away who themselves owned distilleries.

Using batch and barrel number for stuff bought by the tank is typical of the gaming approach that has marked Templeton from the start. They used to spread the BS thicker until publicly called on the carpet by knowledgeable whisky writers such as our own Mr. Cowdery.

They still refer to their operation as a "distillery" ...however, in their Lifecycle video they admit the Lawrenceburg distillery and shoot the distillery process at that location. So, they grow some of the rye that goes into the batch for "their special high rye recipe". http://www.templetonrye.com/production/ In essence, they bottle a custom rye...similar to an independent bottler of scotch.

There is nothing wrong with having a custom product made for sale...but it is the lack of transparency that riles people.

I think the product tastes fine - it is up to the individual taster if they consider it a premium make or not. Is their "custom recipe" (is it identical to Bulleit?) a myth, and is their selection of distillate (if any) deserving of comparison with the others considered premium rye? People will differ.

Buy whichever is cheaper I guess if you like them...Templeton or Bulleit.

http://templetonrye.com/wp-content/themes/Templeton-Rye/docs/Website-FactSheet-Download.pdf

Edited November 11, 2013 by Jono

[squire]

They grow some rye? Why is that in any way relevant, what counts is who distills it. And what's special about MGP's standard 95% rye mashbill? It's just a cheapened version of the original Seagram recipe of 80% rye and 20% barley malt which made a better whisky.

[Jono]

I think it is just to establish some provenance claim to the product. "Our rye" goes into the mash (even if a tiny %). Like small vintners who use grapes from all over but add some locally grown ones.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Jono

[squire]

Like a small child watching grandma make a pie and later saying they helped.

[Jono]

I suppose if he picked the apples!

[dreasoner]

Guys,

I understand that they pick the barrels and knew that from the beginning. I simply think it tasted better in the beginning. Had the two different bottles side by side, not the same. Didn't mean to upset anyone. Just my thought.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[Jono]

I understand, not upset at all. Variation in product from year to year is an issue with most whiskeys so great effort is taken to keep to a certain brand profile.

Some years are less successful than others.

[squire]

Oh, good heavens no, I don't get upset about anything, even young female family members who seem to think E on the gas gauge means Eureka or something.