Winchester "Extra Smooth" Rye Whiskey

Nose - spearmint, eucalyptus, fennel, bubble gum, cherry, vanilla, nondescript rye spice, yeast, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - spearmint, licorice, cherry, vanilla, rye spice, light oak, mild alcohol bite, finishing quickly with mint, cherry, and rye spice flavors. I find this to be better than the bourbon releases, but not by much. The dominant note is sweet spearmint. There is a bit of sourness on the finish, but not enough to be particularly remarkable. As with the other Winchester offerings, this is not priced commensurate with its quality. For the same price, you can pick up Rittenhouse BiB and have a much better quality rye. This tastes very much like a young MGP rye, so if you want a similar profile, you can spend a bit more and pick up Dickel or Bulleit ryes and have tastier, more mature examples of the mash bill.

It does meet most people’s idea of smooth, and it has a wonderfully sweet and slightly spicy hint to the taste and exhale. To be honest though, you could have told me it was bourbon and I’d believe you, not heavy rye notes.

Nose - very light nose, bubblegum, vanilla, rye Palate - subtle rye spices then a decent burn on the backside Finish - nothing special, maybe a bit of dried fruit at the back

Mini bottle tasting series: At least 6 months in new oak. Vanilla and light cereal and odd jelly bean sweetness in finish. Thin body and no real rye spice.

It is smooth. OK for what it is. Nothing stands out. But is definitely is the best of the Winchester line.