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Bulleit Rye vs CEHT Straight Rye


hawkeye62
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First, I have a very uneducated palate and nose. To me, most whiskey tastes like whiskey. I have never tasted tobacco, black raspberry, cardamom, toffee, cherry, nuts, etc. Yesterday my local store had Colonel  E.H. Taylor straight rye, so I bought a bottle for $69.99. Last night I had two pours over about two hours, sniffing, tasting and trying to determine what flavors were there and my overall impressions. I concluded that the CEHT was very similar to regular Bulleit Rye. So tonight I did a side by side comparison of the two ryes. The CEHT has a slightly darker color. The nose on both are very much the same. I thought I detected very slight chocolate and very slight vanilla when I sniffed very lightly. Both smelled like typical whiskey with a deep sniff. Both had mostly a pepper taste and finish. The CEHT maybe was slightly stronger and longer on the finish. 

 

My final impression is that the two ryes are very similar, I could barely tell the difference. I am sure that I couldn't determine which was which in a blind taste test.

 

A more educated taster would most likely say that I am full of s....

 

Anyway that is my opinion. I won't be buying any more $69.99 CEHT rye.

 

Best regards, Jim          

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Well you have to follow your palate. Personally, I find a huge difference between the two. Taylor is way better to me. I still don't want to pay the price though.

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CEHT is the more complex of the two, though I do find similarities that I attribute to a high percentage of rye in both. That said, don't beat yourself up over your own tasting results. If Bulleit pleases you as much for a great deal less pocket change, then go with it and enjoy! It's about what you like, not what's on the label.

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7 hours ago, hawkeye62 said:

So tonight I did a side by side comparison of the two ryes.

 

Another technique to try:  focus on one for a time, before switching to the other.  After a while with the same pour, the flavor begins to assert itself.  I use a week minimum when exploring a first acquaintance.  Not sure why, maybe its informing your pallet, pallet getting calibrated, something.  I think the Bulleit Rye is quite good.  I'd trust the seasoned reviewers that with "patience", the EHT should prove superior.  In the end, even after giving it every chance, your pallet may decide differently and that's very acceptable. 

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Both are very good, but to me CEHT Straight Rye is way better, wish it was cheaper though.

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hawkeye62:     Just for funsies sometime do a s.b.s. of Bulleit Rye and Dickel Rye.  Similar price, value ryes, both from MGP rye source.  I did so, and while there were very subtle differences I could pick out s.b.s., I don't believe I could tell which was which if each was tasted alone.  I'm not surprised at the similarity, but it was nice to find a Bulleit taste-alike for yet a few dollars less.

 

Thanks for your Bulleit / CEHT report.   MH

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20 minutes ago, Madhatter said:

hawkeye62:     Just for funsies sometime do a s.b.s. of Bulleit Rye and Dickel Rye.  Similar price, value ryes, both from MGP rye source.  I did so, and while there were very subtle differences I could pick out s.b.s., I don't believe I could tell which was which if each was tasted alone.  I'm not surprised at the similarity, but it was nice to find a Bulleit taste-alike for yet a few dollars less.

 

Thanks for your Bulleit / CEHT report.   MH

 

I haven't done a s.b.s, but I have had a few bottles of Dickel. I remember it being similar to the Bulleit. In fact I believe all of the MGP 95% rye variations are similar. Age and ABV probably account for most of the differences.

 

Regards, Jim  

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13 minutes ago, hawkeye62 said:

 

I haven't done a s.b.s, but I have had a few bottles of Dickel. I remember it being similar to the Bulleit. In fact I believe all of the MGP 95% rye variations are similar. Age and ABV probably account for most of the differences.

 

Regards, Jim  

 

There is a point where age, for me at least, begins to change the MGP ryes enough that I would not necessarily pick them out as MGP ryes (presuming I ever could) over a younger MGP rye or a lower rye mashbill. The barrel becomes the great equalizer I suppose. Not sure exactly where that point is. Perhaps 8-10 years, maybe a little more? The problem is there aren't that many older lower rye mashbill ryes to compare with. Of course not many older MGP ryes left either!

 

The Baby Saz, WT RR 6yo rye and the Pikesville 6yo are three of the "older" low rye mashbills that come to mind that are more or less readily available. Anything else out there that is older these days?

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  • 1 month later...

While I haven't done a side by side (and don't currently have a bottle of Bulliet to compare), here are my thoughts:

 

Bulliet is a perfectly acceptable rye, very similar to George Dickle, Templeton, and various other run-of-the-mill MGP ryes. It makes a pretty good cocktail but I wouldn't drink it on its own. That's not to say I think it is bad - it's just that if I'm going to pour a dram to sip neat and contemplate, I have a cabinet full of more interesting bottles.

 

CEHT on the other hand has a very distinct and unique flavor to me, different from any other rye I've tried. It drinks almost like a bourbon, with a sweetness and smoothness that I expect with higher levels of corn. Oddly, from everything I know it's all or nearly all rye. It's one of my favorite ryes, being both complex, unique and supremely easy to drink. I enjoy it neat or with a tiny icecube.

 

$70 is perhaps a bit much for CEHT Rye, but honestly the only rye I've had that I can say is head and shoulders better is Thomas H Handy, and I can't find that for less than $300. Redemption 8 year barrel proof (another MGP sourced bottle) is a perhaps a little better but that runs about $110 or so. WhistlePig 10 year and Russel's Reserve Single Barrel Rye are similarly good at about the same price point.

 

Saying all that, if you can't tell the difference, that's excellent news! I'm sure you bank account will thank you. For around the same price or not much more I would recommend picking up a bottle of High West Double Rye, though. Still MGP juice, but I tend to prefer it over the rest of the common MGP offerings.

Edited by EarthQuake
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some of us prefer the MGP style.

 

to me, a rye doesnt taste like a rye without the MGP profile.

 

to each his own, right?

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43 minutes ago, dcbt said:

Midwest Grain Products.

Thanks.

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2 hours ago, MTNBourbon said:

What does MGP stand for?

 

You already have the answer but if you look at MGP in your quote above you will see there is a line of dots under it. That means that this abbreviation has been automatically defined. If you hover your cursor over it the definition will be revealed.

 

I don't know for sure how, or if, that works if you are reading the board on a phone. I don't think it does. 

 

A few other examples:   HH   EC   FR   WT

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3 hours ago, tanstaafl2 said:

 

You already have the answer but if you look at MGP in your quote above you will see there is a line of dots under it. That means that this abbreviation has been automatically defined. If you hover your cursor over it the definition will be revealed.

 

I don't know for sure how, or if, that works if you are reading the board on a phone. I don't think it does. 

 

A few other examples:   HH   EC   FR   WT

Thanks. I never knew that. most I think I know, but I'm sure I don't.:)

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