Rossville Union Barrel Proof Straight Rye (NAS)

Rating: 13/23 N: This is maltier with more alcohol than I'd expected. It has that kind of herbal rye tartness leaning a tad into mint with the faintest herbal character and also some granny smith apple. Not super complex, but it does come across as high proof. P: Yeah, it's high proof. It has a lot of alcohol and burn. There isn't a ton of wood, but there is some nice rye with green apple alongside peppery spice, some vanilla, and mild caramel. These are all good things, but they aren't melded or matured very well. This isn't harsh, but it is quite hot and clearly youthful. a bigger swig does meld and balance the flavors more with some added caramel sweetness, but it's still hot and not that full. F: Sweet creek water and minerals start coming out. I get spices with wood, faint vanilla, and faint green apple as well. The rye grainiess is there a tad a well. Its core is good, but the watery side of it is a problem. - Conclusion - This isn't bad, but I wouldn't buy a bottle of it. It's depending on its proof instead of its character. It needs more time to age and fill out its profile and develop more mature, balanced flavors. This is less full than my bottle of Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye Single Barrel Cask Strength 4 Year (14/23), but the Old Scout tastes like its aging was rushed a bit, so it's less balanced and nuanced. I'm placing the two in a competitive range, though if I have to pick one over the other, I'll go for the Old Scout. This is either a 13 or 14. Oh, wow. Wild Turkey 101 (14/23) beats this. It's definitely a 13. Thanks for the sample, @ctbeck11 !

It’s a classic battle of the “villes,” Rossville vs. Pikesville. I probably should’ve picked something with a more similar mashbill to compare, but since Pikesville is pound-for-pound one of my favorite ryes and maybe the best whiskey in the cabinet at 40 bucks and under, I decided to do a side-by-side of the 40$ Pikesville and the 60$ Rossville. On color alone, the Pikesville stands out as considerably darker. On the nose, the Rossville comes across as much more ryey, with the dill note jumping out of the glass. The palate follows suit with the strong herbal flavors, along with some cinnamon and orange. The Pikesville has more corny sweetness with the rye spice on the back end. I think the Rossville is nicely done. I like it. However, it’s pretty middle-of-the-road for rye and I feel like I’ve had this before, probably since MGP seems to supply half the whiskey I see on liquor store shelves. I really enjoy MGP, or Squibb and whatever, and I will surely continue to spend a lot of money on their whiskies, but I’m not buying this one, and not just because I like Pikesville better. For a more ryey profile at 60 bucks I’d rather buy Willett 4 year Rye, as it’s more interesting. I’d also prefer Wilderness Trail SiB at around the same price. If this was closer to 40$ I might be a buyer. Lastly, big thank you again to @ctbeck11 the sample. Glad to have been able to taste this without going out and buying a bottle and later wishing I had saved some money by buying Pikesville.

Recommended from a friend, not sure if he had the barrel proof or not, but seeing both side by side (and also purchasing 3 other barrel proof products at the same time), it seemed right to grab this one. MGP can always do no wrong. Lots of cut grass, mint, and cinnamon on the nose. It sounds cliché, and it honestly should be. With MGP behind this product and no other smoke or mirrors, this is what I expect and what every good rye should be. The color is also nice and medium, with what I believe is an average 6 year age. The alcohol definitely burns while smelling, but this could also easily be rye spice working along with the high proof. The taste starts off with that easy grassy, oaky, vanilla body, but only takes seconds while moving around the mouth to become incredibly spicy and hot. Sure, the proof is ruling over a bit here, but caramel and sweet wood sugars still easily come through. The finish is a fire-breathing cinnamon, but with plenty of backing sweetness. This is an easy win of a buy. It's very rare for a barrel proof version to be worse than watered down, and this holds up and I'm certain improves on the watered down version. It even tastes like the age is higher than it is, which is always a great thing to have with rye whiskeys. As a matter of fact, I would say that a longer age would be the only improvement here. Great gem.

Total Wine store pick in Gilbert, AZ. 116.7 proof. As I have already reviewed this whiskey, this review will highlight the differences between the standard release and this store pick. Review admittedly of limited use outside the Phoenix, AZ area. Wow, nose way more herbal than the standard. (Not a bad thing per se) Getting basil, oregano, star anise, mint, and sage. There’s some honey underneath if you dig for it but leafy, grassy notes are in charge. Nose carries right through to the palate. Man, this sucker is herbaceous. Palate and finish carry a lot of eucalyptus, mint, camphor, and pepper. Some sour dill sneaks in as well. Closest it gets to sweet is cinnamon. Finish lingers forever, and the mouthfeel has a nice weight to it. I have a feeling that a thin mouthfeel would literally ruin this, so for that I am thankful. I got to tell you; I love herbal cask strength ryes. But that said, I’d say this one almost takes it a little too far. It could use just a hint more sweetness to bring some balance. Instead you get a trip through the spice aisle of your local grocery store. Truth? I could see some people absolutely hating this. As for me, it is quite good but falls short of a really top tier more complex rye. At $76, I would consider a rebuy but I would have to have a gap in my collection for this sort of flavor profile to merit it.

Nose - anise, peppermint, dry herbal notes, banana bread, dill, yeast, spiced apple, caramel, vanilla, clove, dry oak, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - anise, peppermint, apple, orange oil, dill, underripe banana, vanilla, caramel, clove, earthy herbal notes, white pepper, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium length with peppermint, anise, rye spice, and caramel flavors. I’ve tasted MGP rye under many different names, but since I just finished a series of George Remus offerings, I figured another MGP house brand would be the next logical step. There’s no mistaking this for a rye on the nose. The ethanol is very strong, which makes it a bit difficult to identify individual aromas. But once you overcome the fumes, anise, dill, banana bread, and clove are all present in spades. The palate is similarly alcohol-forward. This is one spicy rye. Many of the same qualities appear as flavors. There’s very little sweetness. Almost all the notes are herbal, minty, peppery, and citrusy. I’m a fan of spicy ryes, but this is so hot, bright, and earthy that it strikes me as one-dimensional. It’s certainly better than average, but I’d be more likely to take this in a high-octane cocktail than neat in a nosing glass.

Man, it’s getting cold quick up here in the Northeast real quick. I was in shorts last week. Have a good weekend planned, with family. So, to start my weekend, a nice warming whiskey seems proper. Autumn. That’s the best immediate image that is instantly conjured in my mind when I first breathe it in. Cinnamon, cloves, orange peel, fennel, beer bread with wisps of vanilla and caramel. Spice, heat and sweetness. Light bodied. Ginger, cloves, rye, orange zest as its first presented on the palate. As you become acclimated and adjust to the spicy tingle, a pleasant wave of sweetness adds a pleasant counter. Confectionery sugar, cola, spearmint, vanilla. A touch of water nicely sweetens the dram. A oaken, drying, woody finish leaving the palate minty fresh with a drop of vanilla and black pepper. I would have to best describe this as a sweet rye. The high abv is unnoticeable and sips relatively easy. Neat or diluted, there is no wrong way to enjoy. I was expecting more of a dill, pumpernickel type of rye. A solid, enjoyable flavorful rye whiskey. A unique rye. Thanks @dubz480 for providing me the tasty sample. [88/100][Tasted: 11/5/21]