Milam & Greene Port Finished Rye

Giving to me by a friend who is giving up whisky for a little while. Not something that I probably would have pulled the trigger on myself, so let’s see what we’ve got here: Nose opens with spearmint/wintergreen, black tea, and rye spice, but there is a hint of fruit which I’m guessing is imparted by the port finish. Orange zest and berry. But the nose as a whole is a little muted, unfortunately. Honestly, this palate opens like any other young MGP rye; herbal tea, honey, lemongrass, white pepper, and mint. The low proof isn’t really letting the flavors shine, and everything comes off a little flat. The finish is where things get interesting and by far the best part of this. In addition to the flavors from the palate carrying through we add cinnamon, caramel, clove, fig, hazelnut, and blackberry. The length is pretty short. Mouthfeel is on the thicker side of medium bodied and is a nice fit for the profile. Well, this isn’t a home run, nor is it an epic fail. More like “lost in the shuffle”. I expected more from the port finish than what presented here. While it’s hard to find major flaws (yay MGP), it’s also hard to find anything remarkable that would make me want to buy it. At $43 it is in no way overpriced, but I’d probably rather pay an up charge and go with something richer and punchier. Meh?

Nose- the nose is prickly. I get a fair amount of fresh raspberry and musty wood on the first whiff. There is some anise in the background and some white pepper notes. Nice nose, and nothing I would expect from MGP rye (dill, vanilla, all spice). Taste- upon entry this does not taste like rye at all, but rather a high rye bourbon. In fact I get a dusty sweet corn taste followed by strawberry jam, currants like you might find in a scone, some raisins, and oak. It is a bit drying and has a few hot spots, but all in all a good sip. Finish- finish is medium to longer with notes of wood, jelly, and white pepper. A pretty good balance. Overall- This is a nice surprise. It really showcases what a nice port finished rye can be. The finish gives a nice jaminess to it. The port seems to impart an aged mustier taste reminescent of what one might find in say Wild Turkey to what I think might otherwise be a younger rye. Reminds me alot of some of the finished Highwest Rye I have recently had, or a great sub for Midwinter Night's Dram if you can't find it. I enjoyed this one and can't wait to put it in a manhattan cockatil.

"When facing down a great bear, don't play dead. Rather, make light of the situation, keep eye contact and pour a drink for two." That's what the label says. Milam & Greene, sourced MGP/Ross & Squibb straight rye, 47% ABV, port barrel finished in Texas. Rose golden color and thick legs in the glass. Floral grape and berry on the nose, with a little vanilla and ethanol spice. Sweet stone fruit, burnt sugar, and vanilla oak in the mouth, followed by a grassy dry spice and mint tingle, and a little citrus and ethanol on the finish. Sweet spicy lingering taste, average duration and coating mouthfeel. Nice neat, works with ice too. Expensive for a sourced/finished MGP rye, but a solid drink.

I've had my eye on this for a while due to the reviews. When I saw it on sale for 30% off At Binny's I had to jump on it. Let's start off with the fact that I am a rye fan so if you don't like rye, you might want to fi d another review. Nose - definitely can smell the port I fluency and some ethanol. Burns a little. Palate - Finish - short and very low burn. You might almost cal this smooth for 94 pf whiskey. A little burn and rye spice on the tongue after it all.goes down.

Nose: really enjoy the nose on this one…dark fruits, spiced butterscotch Taste: mild spice, very soft, heat doesn’t linger nor does flavor Overall: it’s ok. It doesn’t wow me, but it’s not horrible either. Not a fan of flavor not following through and this is definitely one of those.

All in all good. The fruit notes didnt cut through the spice to create the flavor balance i was hoping for. That being said,i very much enjoyed it. Paired with: pork chorizo, apple butter jam, pickled cucumbers & onions, and diet coke. Would drink again, would probably buy again.