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AE Rye ?


dcbt
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I went back a few years in the rye forum but couldn't find an AE Rye topic.  

 

The backstory: I have never been a rye guy.  But last weekend I was out with Mrs. dcbt and after dinner we went to the bar for a nightcap.  I ordered a bourbon and struck up a conversation with the bartender, and somewhere along the way he offered me a sample of AE Rye.  Sure, why not, I figured, but not expecting much.  But I really liked it!  What I have since read is perhaps a maple flavor came across as smoky goodness to me, something I could see myself enjoying on a cold winter's night.  It was a different taste than I've had before.

 

So fast forward a few days when I figured I'd go ahead and pick up a bottle, easy peasy.  Except apparently no store in town has it.  It's obviously never been on my radar before.  So...what's the deal with AE Rye (cue your best Seinfeld voice)?  Is it allocated throughout the year with periodic releases?  Is it an annual LE release?  Or was it a one-time only thing I missed the boat on?

 

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I believe it's released twice per year. It used to linger on shelves for at least a few months, but these days it seems to sell out pretty quickly once it's released.

 

Bottom line: you didn't miss out on this completely, you may just need to spend some more time hunting or wait until the next time it's released (the last batch hit CA in May, so it could be a few months).

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I kind of lump AE rye in with HWMWND as generally exclusive cold weather, holiday-time pours.  AE rye has always been akin to gingerbread flavor for me.  AE rye has been quite polarizing over the years, but I enjoy it for what it is.  I believe I have one bottle open, and one in the bunker.  I have had my open bottle for years now, so I admittedly don't drink it very often.  I think I see it on shelves occasionally, but I don't really focus on it.   YMMV.

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I like it a lot, not really an everyday pour for me because of the sweetness but I dig it nonetheless. I tend to find it more regularly in less trafficked places in my area more frequently and prices seem to vary wildly between $65 and $100. 

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I don't find it to be a good value.  It's a soft rye that does drink like candy, so when I open one...it's gone! 

 

Me thinks I could add some cinnamon sticks, gingerbread crumbs, and brown sugar to a bottle of Dickel...and be in business! 

 

Because of that...I'm no longer a player! :o

 

 

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^ what he said.

 

I seem to always see it when I'm driving through KY, but at $65, I'm reaching for a 4R store pick instead, every time.

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18 hours ago, Kpiz said:

Bottom line: you didn't miss out on this completely, you may just need to spend some more time hunting or wait until the next time it's released (the last batch hit CA in May, so it could be a few months).

I may actually be right in time - if it hit the rest of the country in May it's probably due to Texas any day now!  (Tongue only slightly in cheek for our distribution lag time down here for whatever reason...)

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On ‎8‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 0:33 PM, dcbt said:

I went back a few years in the rye forum but couldn't find an AE Rye topic.  

 

 

It is there! Then again pretty much everything is in this forum somewhere! B)

 

You just have to go back a ways.

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11 minutes ago, dcbt said:

Found one today as luck would have it.  I should reverse-jinx myself more often!

Would that be considered counter productive or not? :huh: :lol:

 

Cheers! Joe

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When asking about this down in Louisville, I understood the next release from AE would be in October. I couldn't find it anywhere down there when I was out looking after trying it at a bar, but have found it pretty easily in the Chicagoland area. I actually just picked up my first bottle last night.

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  • 1 month later...

I found a bottle of this a while back. This is most likely a middle aged MGP sourced rye (probably in the 4-6 year range) with the typical MGP flavor profile, but with an extra dimension from the rum. A sweetness, almost cloyingly sweet maple syrup element on the nose, but the palette and finish is much more balanced, with the rye spice and sweetness from the rum working well together. It's nice, but $80 is too much IMO. While I don't really regret buying it, I also won't buy another bottle. At $40-50 or so it would be more compelling. At $80 I might bite if this were barrel proof.

 

It's an interesting thing to have around when people are over and want to try something a bit different though - a great way to show my friends who are into rye how barrel finishing can affect flavor.

Edited by EarthQuake
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4 hours ago, EarthQuake said:

This is most likely a middle aged MGP sourced rye

More than most likely - it's confirmed.

Agree with everything else you said.

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8 hours ago, flahute said:

More than most likely - it's confirmed.

Agree with everything else you said.

Yeah I could have worded that better, what I mean is most likely 4-6 years - which is just a guess considering there is no age statement.

Edited by EarthQuake
  • I like it 1
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  • 1 year later...
1 hour ago, wadewood said:

mmmm flavor packets

Is why I don't buy this anymore.  When I buy "finished" nowadays, I save my $$ for Isaac Bowman Port Finish (Saz/BT/ASB, Hello, Brian) and Joseph A. Magnus Cigar Blend (Hello, Nancy).  I used to buy some others, but my hit-to-miss experience was running 1-to-5 or so, so I now stick with the "1"s.

 

And "finished rye"?  Kind of like making a cocktail with scotch - Rob Roys notwithstanding - it is definitely an acquired taste.

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