Hudson Maple Cask Rye (Discontinued)

For a rye, which I'm not particularly fond of in general (except well-aged, like Lock, Stock & Barrel 14- and 18-year) because of their excessive spiciness, this is a sweet and welcome and warming treat for the senses, especially in winter. The maple and sweetness ride clearly up front, but the rye character predominates. There's no hint of excessive woodiness, as noted in the official description, but a very pleasant taste, a spicy but welcome soft burn -- an enjoyably warming, sweet yet spicy experience well worth repeating!

This is the 1st batch. This one immediately noses like a red hot with rye, sweet maple syrup, and a little green banana. The palate has an oily mouthfeel with a lot of cinnamon, vanilla and a very astringent thing going on. This one has a medium finish that has a continuation of cinnamon and some astringency. I do not like this one. I don’t mind cinnamon, but this is like artificial cinnamon flavoring. It just seems off.

Not too bad, sweet yet spicy. Enjoyed on ice. Reminded me a little of Coopers Daughter. Had an odd aftertaste that I could not put my finger on, but the aftertaste did not last long. Maybe that’s why I could not put my finger on the note LOL.

Year 19, Batch 1, Bottle 8914. Incredibly smooth. Almost no bite. A bit of rye spice, with an uncharacteristic (for rye) additional flavor that might be from the maple but tastes licorice-like.

Easy finish, initial taste is sweet and mapley as the name suggests, builds a little in the middle but then hits you with a sneaky smooth finish which may be anti-climatic for some.

I think the peppery NY rye really balances well with the subtle maple notes and sugars from that barrel. A little bit of a bite, young nose but overall very smooth for a rye