Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Distiller's Edition 92 Proof

Taste: Neat in glen cairn glass, then 3 drops of water. Nose (2.5): Very sweet and doughy. Almost medicinal and pungent. Very yeasty and fruity. Nose kind of turned me off. Palate: (3.25) Bready and sweet with some rye and a hint of marshmallow. Some candycorn is on the back end. Better than the nose, but not my favorite rye whiskey. Finish (2.0): Some spice comes through but that sweetness from the nose overwhelms the finish. The fruity yeast is overwhelming. Reminds me of a pizza kitchen. Overall: I was disappointed overall. Too sweet, almost medicinally so on the nose. The taste improved a bit but still too yeasty.

My bottle says it is a single barrel. While not the "very best rye" I have ever had, this is most certainly ranking in the the upper echelons. It is a 100% rye, organic, and copper pot distilled. The nose is yeasty bread-dough. The mouthfeel is silky, bordering on oily. My first sip seemed a little hot, but that has not continued on the next dram. There is a sweetness to this rye, and the mint/licorice of a high to 100% rye is there, but, muted. I suspect the silky mouth and the muted rye notes can be attributed to the pot still distillation. Overall this is a very good and enjoyable dram.

Nose: Intense dill, peaches, vanilla and light hay / dirt. Aniseed and dill merge into a rye bread scent. Very light chocolate and apple nose. Taste: Very thin and watery open of dirty hay that slowly devolves into heavy rye spice and caramel with a bright dill and menthol finish. Water brings everything out. Light toffee and caramel covered peaches with mint and dill with the dirty hay note buried towards the end and a spicy finish. Maybe needs more time in the bottle but kinda underwhelming at least for my tastes. Would probably be a good cocktail base.

Nose: Chocolate, spicy, window putty, hairspray, chocolate chip cookies Palate: Chocolate, popcorn, golden syrup, light spice - ginger. Nutty and aromatic Finish: Medium long finish. Citrus, green apple, dried fruit, herbal. Cocoa, butter and vanilla on the aftertaste. This is a chocolate-y and aromatic rye dram. Smooth and velvety on the mouthfeel. The 100% rye adds some darker notes to the herbal spiciness. A decent dram!

Nose - strong clove and other rye spice, cardamom, leather, tobacco, honey, lemon zest, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - very spice heavy, leather, tobacco, cardamom, moderate alcohol bite, finishing quickly with young ethanol and clove flavors. Surprisingly, I like this less than the standard 80 proof. It’s much spicier in a way that seems to accentuate the youthfulness.

Nose: sweet and syrupy, butterscotch, cherries, vanilla, some yeasty rye overtones Taste: cherry bomb of a rye, vanilla, cherry chocolate Finish: thin but not disappointing. Some lingering spice to hold you. Impressions: I like this. I wouldn't turn it down, but I wouldn't seek it out.. I paid too much for it in a whiskey bar, but it was worth exploring the brand.