Nose- Gingerbread, baking spices, orange zest, caramel, molasses, dill, cinnamon, and a bit of lemon Palate- Spices (black pepper, cardamom, clove and cinnamon), peach, cherry, rosemary, caramel Finish- Incredibly long, drying finish with herbal rosemary notes accompanied by ginger and bright citrus At first sip this slaps you across the face. Powerful and dry. Has a long, dry finish that you can feel from the throat down to the stomach. Nose is not too hot, with a surprisingly fruity profile, along with normal rye spices with an interesting lemon note. Palate is complex and tasty. Oak is present throughout, along with all the rye and baking spices you could ask for. Some notes of peach and cherry are present as well. This is a fantastic rye.
About this bottle
Thomas H. Handy was the first barman to use rye in place of cognac in the Sazerac cocktail. This rye uses a mashbill of Minnesota rye, Kentucky corn, and North Dakota malted barley. Distilled in the spring of 2011 to 135 proof, the rye whiskey entered the barrel at 125 proof. It matured for at least six years and five months on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floor of Warehouses K, L, and Q. Only 72 barrels were selected for this bottling. It sells at 127.2 proof.
How it tastes
Measured across 14 flavor axes. Tap a note to find other bottles that lead with it.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 43 parsed reviews.
The nose is oaky and creamy with toasted rye, vanilla and toffee. The palate is rich and dry and fills the mouth with a sweet and spicy rye balanced perfectly with toffee, while vanilla lingers in the background. The finish is medium long with rye spiciness that lingers for a while with toffee that keeps things balanced and sweet. Not a complicated whiskey, but everything it has it does exceptional.
Nose: Vanilla, Apricot, quite a bit of oak, a hint of peppermint and some dusty corn notes as well. Flavor: Spicy with quite a bit of apricot and still more background mint. Finish: Oaky and fruity with hot cinnamon and clove notes. Medium long with lingering spices and more stone fruit. Wow this is good! Not super complex but the fruity spicy flavor is outstanding!
Like a reunion with a long lost friend!!! Quintessential nose of a rye without being over powering. A sweet fruit and floral nose. Smooth taste that belies the high proof. Nice rye pop and slight smoke. Great peppery finish like a fine peppercorn steak sauce. So good!!!
Neat, the nose is almost imperceptible. Add a drop or two of water, and things improve. There is a lot of heat, spice, and oak, but the flavors don't linger like Stagg. I prefer the Willett 4 year if I'm going for rye, especially considering the price of entry.
Smell is sweet caramel/vanilla and oak...with almost no hints of heat. Taste after coating the tongue is very drying and spicy, complex, finish is long with a long linger of spice ... plenty of heat but i don’t get that warm chest feeling that i get from GTS
37 more reviews were collected for this bottle. The longest ones are shown first.
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