Lock Stock & Barrel 16 Year Straight Rye

I was given a sample of this from a local friend who has given up on drinking spirits. I’m not sure if this stuff is rare, expensive or hard to find. I’m not even sure what a bottle costs. I just know it’s a 16 year old, 100% Canadian rye whiskey. It’s bottled at 53.5% and is dark copper in the tasting glass. Heavy droplets curve the entire rim and it makes lots of legs. The nose it typical rye spice, pepper a little pine and dill with an underlying vanilla and oak note. The palate is hot and peppery baking spices, sugary cola with a nice hint of bubble gum on the tail end. To be 100% rye, it’s not overpowering at all- even at 54%. I think that’s what I like the most about it. I’m not a big rye person, so when I get one that seems really well restrained I feel like I can enjoy it more. That was the case here. The finish was medium length, oily with some lingering oak notes. Overall, it’s very easy drinking with a lighter than expected mouthcoat and feel. I’m glad I was able to give this one a try as I aim to expand my American bourbon and rye portfolio. Thanks to my buddy @RyanS1865 for this one. 4 stars. Cheers.

Roxanne: Upon first sniff, this smells like whiskey. Upon 2nd sniff, it smells like whiskey only now my chest is burning already. My eyes started to burn when I brought the glass up to take my first sip. It’s good. Smooth and spicy but damn it shoots fire up your nose and into your eyes. It finishes with a burn in your chest. Thank goodness for bourbon by the glass because I would be disappointed if I spent this much money on a bottle and it taste like much less expensive good Bourbons. Update! This is much less burny and sweet after letting the rocks melt a little! Tom: If I was alive during prohibition and this whiskey was available, I’d definitely drink it. And like it.

Lock stock 16 year rye vs Barrell 13 year rye 13 Nose : tart, rich spicey rye light ethanol 16 nose : sweet rich tangy almost like cheese but not 13 taste : tangy funk rye spicy, citrus fruits with a good funky spicy finish 16 taste : rich sweet smooth and oaky, rich desert wine rye with a lighter spicy finish Well I sampled the 13 first tonight and it showed up. It has more depth and spice and the flavor I want in a rye. I have rated the lock 16 higher before seperately. Lock is no slouch, very rich and sweet with a nice oak finish. Tonight the barrell wins but could be different another night. Either way both great ryes! Barrell 13 - 9.5/10 Lock 16 - 9.25/10

It's hard to disengage from the extraordinary nose on this rye, which has layers of perfume, banana, orgeat and other tiki flavors topped with a dash of pepper. When you eventually remember that the contents of your glass are there to drink you get a funky mix of Szechuan peppers and guava, served on a rain-soaked deck as the sun dries the wood. Searingly spicy, it finishes long and dry. Water tames the heat and brightens the tropical notes. Curiously compelling and somewhat eccentric, it's quite unlike other ryes of its age. (PS: I'm offering samples on Bottle-Spot if you're interested in trying it.)

Old rye (12-18 years) tastes so different from the more common four year olds like Peppers or Willett. This is so earthy and more levels of flavor. I get spice but I also get something very deep and earthy like moss, peat, or something like that. The taste is not gross at all but my ability to describe the taste is limited. I’m not so smart that way. I love this rye. I have been rationing a bottle for years since it inexplicably disappeared from NC. I very very much recommend this. Gold standard for old rye in my opinion.

Thanks to Richard, I got to sample this one last night. This is very un-Rye like. Bold and oaky. Baking spices laying on freshly cut oak. Everything about it is intense. I felt as if I really needed water to loosen it up a bit. After water, it sweetens to a more rye character with the nutmeg, licorice and mint. Great fall weather Dram. Thanks Richard!