FEW Immortal Rye

Nice one for the price here.  Different rye that really challenged me a bit.  Usually the dill, vanilla, candied oranges, snickerdoodle cookies, and jellied mint leaves are the players in rye but not in this one so much. Nose-  Fresh cut flowers, especially distinct lilac, fresh "green" pepper corns, a bit of oriental tea just like that pot at a Chinese Restaurant.  This in a hot toddy might BE the cure for the common cold! Palate-  Black Pepper and coriander are front an center.  I really get some floral notes- especially hibiscus.  It is followed up by some oak, and goes out on just a hint of that black old timey licorice in the paper bag. Finish-  longer than I expected and likely the spicier pepper notes stay with me a bit too long but then fade into candied ginger at the end.  There is what I can best describe as a tanginess that is very pleasing. This one outkicks its coverage and is very nicely done.  At 39.99 it is a steal that proves just what you can do with rye whiskey if you push the experimentation beyond just barrel finishing.  I really want to try this in an Old Fashioned Cocktail because I think with some Angostura Bitters this would be a hit.  It kind of renewed my faith in local Illinois distillers and is tempting me to stop up the next time I am in Evanston.  I find FEW's bourbon a bit on the young "cornflakes and watery milk" side, but this is where their bread and butter may well be. I dug this one.

What a solid rye. Very impressed by this. The palate is very approachable and not punchy or too hot at all. In the nose, you can immediately catch the influence of the Eight Immortals tea as it's layered well over a familiar baking spice nose and adds some depth. In the palate, it begins soft and light. I described it as "fluffy" to others. This gives way immediately to the hint of tea that compliments the rye incredibly well and adds some darker notes without the bitterness that sometimes accompanies them. This then fades to the familiar cinnamon note with the warmth of the whisky coming forward at this point and hangs through the finish which is medium in length. This whiskey may not be crazy complex but the addition of the tea has made this a fun, unique experience on top of a far too easy to drink rye. I would use this to introduce people to the possibilities of rye whiskey for sure.

Partially blind tasting, two bottles were selected for me from my sample collection - likely due to both having a very dark colour (Few and a single barrel from Shelter Point). While close in colour, I quickly moved this comparison to a world whisky rye. The nose is pleasant and inviting and the botanical, eucalyptus notes made me think of a gin first and, knowing I have no gin, I poured Millstone 100 Rye. The Few nose has sweetness and an eucalyptus, pine influence that is softened by the tea. Side by side you can see the similarities between Few and the Millstone. The finish is medium and length and spice with that lingering taste (hui gan) that tea leaves behind. Is it good, yes, and it is not a Lot 40 type rye, it is definitely has a more botanical taste. The tea influence is interesting. If you have, and enjoy, a bottle of Millstone 100 this one is worth a try.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual American Whiskey Tasting, 3rd July 2021). Nose: Baked biscuits, caramel, orange, citrus, floral Palate: Bitter tea, sharp, very sweet, caramel, vanilla, spices, white flour Finish: Medium finish. Menthol, earthy, butter, kids banana flavoured sweets. Drying on the aftertaste. 20% Corn 70% Rye 10% Barley Cut with Oolong tea to bottling strength. There’s an odd bitterness all through this dram, which is slightly off putting to my taste. Floral and buttery, there’s a light fruit sweetness as a back note. A different take on a standard rye with the floral notes. Generally OK. Came fourth out of the six drams, with 8% (1 vote) of the final vote for favourite of the night. 85% (11 votes) of those present said they enjoyed the whiskey.

NOSE 2.25 cedar, tobacco, slight pepper and orange PALATE 2.25 Tobacco follows through with honey, Cinnamon peaches. FINISH 2.25 Short drying Tea shows up on the finish with a drying cedar and slight cracked black pepper VALUE/THOUGHTS 4 A fully unique product that is widely available and at a greay price. If other distillers made this it would be highly allocated and highly expensive.

Really smooth! The proofing-down with tea is really quite an interesting technique. The oolong taste blends perfectly with the spirit.