What rye are you drinking or purchased in 2021

[LCWoody]

12 hours ago, Marekv8 said:

 
How did you fare with this week’s flooding— so unexpected. Hope all is well in Lake Charles. 

My family and I did good. I’m southeast of Lake Charles and it was Not bad out here. It was very bad in LC though. I have several of my customers that were just about finished with their house from the hurricane and now have to start ripping everything out again. 

[PaulO]

On 5/22/2021 at 7:50 PM, Marekv8 said:

A four year MGP rye at 50% ABV from the Proof and Wood folks. Well worth the $21.00 price tag.

 

That looks like something I'd really like to find.

I'm enjoying some 3 year old barrel proof single barrel MGP bottled by Krogman's.

With Bulleit or Dickel bottling 4 year MGP at 90 proof, it's OK.

Bring the age and or proof up a bit and it really sings.

[Marekv8]

On 5/23/2021 at 8:50 AM, LCWoody said:

My family and I did good. I’m southeast of Lake Charles and it was Not bad out here. It was very bad in LC though. I have several of my customers that were just about finished with their house from the hurricane and now have to start ripping everything out again. 

 

So glad to hear-- I was out of town during the worst of it, but the water had come within 3 inches of entering the spirits room at the shop.

[Mattk]

A good friend muled the lock stock and barrels back form Vegas for me. I took possession today. And I bought an KO 4.

[Skinsfan1311]

Just got these.

The Catoctin was gifted to us.

The Staves and Grain was selected by a buddy who makes amazing rye picks.

 

I was on the fence, about the Sagamore, but it's a 6, (almost), 7 year MGP, so we went for it.  The folks who picked this one, tend to do a great job on these.

 

The Catoctin is an interesting one. At the height of the pandemic,  when bars and restaurants were closed, many of the distillers  customers had selected, and purchased, barrels. Most of them couldn't sustain the cost so Catoctin bought them all back,  and made "infinity" barrels, where they divided up the juice, and aged them in a variety of barrels, (American Chardonnay oak, apple brandy casks and an American Imperial stout from a local brewery), and bottled them at 80 proof. 

All of the proceeds went to help the local bars & restaurants.

It sounds like a mess, but it's a very flavorful and, surprisingly,  balanced rye. Friends of ours bought a couple,  to help support their community,  cracked one last night,  and gifted us a bottle.

Edited May 29, 2021 by Skinsfan1311

[Mattk]

So today is both memorial day and my 8 year anniversary. To celebrate I'm having a michter's barrel strength rye  on the back porch before lighting up the grill. I've found other years to be quiet strawberry and raspberry forward. Not so much the couple of 2021s I've tried. It's still very good, but not the profile I've come to expect.

[Skinsfan1311]

High West barrel pick. 

I bought a couple of these.

Down to one.

Should've bought more.

 

[0895]

Yeah...so...

I talked down on this when it came out.

$100 upcharge for the tube.

Said I wasn’t going to buy one.

 

 

Long story short, I recently came into a gift card for doing a really great unsolicited thing at work.

The person who gave the gift card to me (as in handed it over-not their personal money, and knows me quite well) said “go buy some expensive whiskey with it.... you earned it”

 

So I did.

And it’s pretty darn good!

 

just for the record, this might be the worst tube I’ve ever seen.  Looks like a preschooler put the label on it... air bubbles everywhere

Review of all 4 batches sbs coming soon!

[mbroo5880i]

Not bought yet, but noticed that there must have been a recent release of WT101 Rye in 750 ml bottles.  Typically, I have only seen WT101 Rye in one liter bottles for $40.  The 750s appear to be priced in the low $20 range.  Is it the same whiskey or younger.  It seems odd to see a significant price drop even though the bottle is 750 ml instead of 1 liter.

[PaulO]

8 minutes ago, mbroo5880i said:

Not bought yet, but noticed that there must have been a recent release of WT101 Rye in 750 ml bottles.  Typically, I have only seen WT101 Rye in one liter bottles for $40.  The 750s appear to be priced in the low $20 range.  Is it the same whiskey or younger.  It seems odd to see a significant price drop even though the bottle is 750 ml instead of 1 liter.

I purchased some of those recent 750mls.  It was exactly what I expected.  I suppose people in Lawrenceburg have simply got caught up with production.  They are rolling out the new label package for the rye too.  That's a good sign.

 

I bet you're shopping somewhere in Nora.

[fishnbowljoe]

1 hour ago, PaulO said:

 

I bet you're shopping somewhere in Nora.

Wow, does thank bring back some memories.

 

Biba! Joe

[Mattk]

Figured I'd show an everyday pour. This topic doesn't always have to be unicorns and such. Bottle kill..... again. And it's a school night.

[Skinsfan1311]

On 5/28/2021 at 6:06 PM, Mattk said:

A good friend muled the lock stock and barrels back form Vegas for me. I took possession today. And I bought an KO 4.

Where did he find the Lock Stock & Barrel in Vegas?

[Mattk]

15 minutes ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

Where did he find the Lock Stock & Barrel in Vegas?

I purchased them online from total wine Henderson. He just picked them up for me on his way by.

[Mattk]

So a new craft bottle I felt was worth talking about. It's definitely not going to be in regular rotation here. But was interesting enough I thought I'd share. Many will like this. McKenzie straight rye whiskey is made by finger lake distilling, and is truly unique for a rye. The mash bill is 80% rye and 20% malted barley. However this is a new York grown rye so it is much softer and fruit forward then most rye grains. This whiskey is soft, fruity and floral without being overly sweet. And the finish is of honey and walnuts. The finish was at least explained with some research, as it is finished in sherry casks. The lable says nothing of this and I thought I was going crazy until I visited their website. It tastes much lighter then the 91 proof, and the 3.5 years are stated for American oak. There is just the faintest rye spice there, but it lives in between the floral fruit and the light must of the malted barley. Overall if I had to blind this I would have thought a delicate and playful lowland scotch, not a craft straight rye.

[RWBadley]

We have a local distillery called Frey Ranch in Fallon Nevada which has been putting out some pretty tasty Bourbon and Rye. I picked up a couple bottles of the 5 year old Rye from a regional store here called Raley's. It had been marked down from 67$ to 18$. Yes 49$ off regular price.

 

At first I was suspicious then decided to go ahead and buy, as it was most likely some sort of error somewhere in the system. I have tasted Frey product a number of times and know it to be pretty solid. The Frey Ranch Rye I had not had. 

 

This Frey craft Rye is 100% estate grown winter rye. Batch 4,  5 year old. Bottled in Bond at 100 proof.

 

I have a pretty extensive history with rye and have tasted some especially that sticks in my mind. One to mention is the Mt. Vernon Bottled in Bond from fall of 1941. Distilled Fall of 1936. A 5 year old 100 proof Pennsylvania rye. I'm guessing it would be in the classic Monongahela style. 

 

Of all the contemporary rye I have experienced they have all left the Mt Vernon as quite unique in character. Until I had the Frey Ranch batch 4 Rye.

 

They share a particular note in the nose and flavor that takes me right back to the vintage Mt Vernon Rye profile.  I can describe the note that is peculiar to each- the best I can phrase it is as a hint of Creosote. Like what you might smell walking a train track. The aroma off the ties. It sounds a bit off putting for sure, but in this case it is really quite a complex note to the aroma and flavor. It is not overpowering but I recognized it immediately. This Frey Rye also has a very fresh character of rye and is quite delicious. It does not lean into the orangey or cherry domain, but is quite more spicy in profile. Also at a youngish 5 years it has not delved into huge tannin or vanilla or dark pitted fruit notes yet.

 

I don't know why they share this trait in common. The interesting thing is that they share more than just this one note,  but rather the bulk of the flavor profile as well. I think the Mt Vernon was a bit more full in body and possibly more intense. 

 

In any event I did pick up the remaining bottle for the bunker and have been quite enjoying this rye. I was able to compare it directly to a Frey Rye batch 1 a friend has and it did not have that flavor note in common with the Mt Vernon and Frey Ranch Batch 4.   Interesting...

 

Cheers,

RW

[flahute]

7 hours ago, RWBadley said:

We have a local distillery called Frey Ranch in Fallon Nevada which has been putting out some pretty tasty Bourbon and Rye. I picked up a couple bottles of the 5 year old Rye from a regional store here called Raley's. It had been marked down from 67$ to 18$. Yes 49$ off regular price.

 

At first I was suspicious then decided to go ahead and buy, as it was most likely some sort of error somewhere in the system. I have tasted Frey product a number of times and know it to be pretty solid. The Frey Ranch Rye I had not had. 

 

This Frey craft Rye is 100% estate grown winter rye. Batch 4,  5 year old. Bottled in Bond at 100 proof.

 

I have a pretty extensive history with rye and have tasted some especially that sticks in my mind. One to mention is the Mt. Vernon Bottled in Bond from fall of 1941. Distilled Fall of 1936. A 5 year old 100 proof Pennsylvania rye. I'm guessing it would be in the classic Monongahela style. 

 

Of all the contemporary rye I have experienced they have all left the Mt Vernon as quite unique in character. Until I had the Frey Ranch batch 4 Rye.

 

They share a particular note in the nose and flavor that takes me right back to the vintage Mt Vernon Rye profile.  I can describe the note that is peculiar to each- the best I can phrase it is as a hint of Creosote. Like what you might smell walking a train track. The aroma off the ties. It sounds a bit off putting for sure, but in this case it is really quite a complex note to the aroma and flavor. It is not overpowering but I recognized it immediately. This Frey Rye also has a very fresh character of rye and is quite delicious. It does not lean into the orangey or cherry domain, but is quite more spicy in profile. Also at a youngish 5 years it has not delved into huge tannin or vanilla or dark pitted fruit notes yet.

 

I don't know why they share this trait in common. The interesting thing is that they share more than just this one note,  but rather the bulk of the flavor profile as well. I think the Mt Vernon was a bit more full in body and possibly more intense. 

 

In any event I did pick up the remaining bottle for the bunker and have been quite enjoying this rye. I was able to compare it directly to a Frey Rye batch 1 a friend has and it did not have that flavor note in common with the Mt Vernon and Frey Ranch Batch 4.   Interesting...

 

Cheers,

RW

Love this. Thanks for the review!

[0895]

Felt like a rye night tonight.

This stuff is so good!

[BDanner]

Several years ago I tried, and was unimpressed by, WT81 Rye. NC recently started carrying the WT101 Rye so I decided to give the Dirty Bird another shot. Man, am I glad I did. Outstanding. Quite possibly my favorite rye to date.

[BDanner]

On 6/9/2021 at 6:20 PM, Mattk said:

Figured I'd show an everyday pour. This topic doesn't always have to be unicorns and such. Bottle kill..... again. And it's a school night.

My bottle of OF Rye suffered a similar fate last week.

 

[BDanner]

On 6/4/2021 at 10:51 PM, mbroo5880i said:

Not bought yet, but noticed that there must have been a recent release of WT101 Rye in 750 ml bottles.  Typically, I have only seen WT101 Rye in one liter bottles for $40.  The 750s appear to be priced in the low $20 range.  Is it the same whiskey or younger.  It seems odd to see a significant price drop even though the bottle is 750 ml instead of 1 liter.

North Carolina's ABC System just picked up the WT101 Rye and at the same price as the outgoing 81 proofer to boot. My first bottle is amazing, but I haven't had any of the older versions as a comparison.

Edited June 16, 2021 by BDanner

[markandrex]

Tried my bartending skills at a rye rickey, quite refreshing on a warm spring evening.  Willet 4 yr is the base.

 

[Mattk]

Starting the father's day weekend a little early.

[Mattk]

And some more action.. 

[Guss West]

Oh boy!  I had a box of rye set aside and due to recent circumstances is the only whiskey I have access to for awhile.  So far I've opened Dickel, Overholt BIB, WT101Rye, Elijah Craig Rye, and Sezarac Rye.  What an eclectic mix and interesting tuition whiskey!  

 

I can see why Sezarac is so loved.  

Dickel is an easy win for me, since I love MGP rye. 

The new OO BIB is good.  Get some. 

EC Rye needs some more study.  

WT101 Rye.  Huzzah.  

 

Another six bottles in the case, waiting their turn in the rye whiskey throwdown.  

 

I don't drink enough rye whiskey.  Love it, but not at the fore.  Fixin to change all that.