Tastes

What rye has ever been this good and flown this far under radar? The brand obviously hasn’t achieved the level of recognition and notoriety the Remus line has. Maybe it doesn’t look like an exciting bottle from the outside? Damn shame if so, because what’s inside is explosive. In fact, Rossville Union Barrel Proof Straight Rye is SO good at $60, I’d argue it offers the same kind of anarchic, upending value OF Rye does at $23. Maybe one of the all-time great sleeper bottles ever, but when you know…you’ll KNOW.

Stellum Rye is great to begin with; there are store pick variants of it that are significantly better. But when a bourbon starts from the very premise of making high quality (Barrell) product available at an affordable value (the Stellum line thus far), I think the real question you have to be asking is, “is this really worth $100?” The answer is hell yes. Gets dangerously close to the rare air of Old Carter Rye/Michter’s 10 year Rye, which is a way of saying this is just a slight notch under the absolute best I’ve ever had. If you come across one, pull the trigger immediately.

I’ve liked some TN whiskeys—the Jack Daniels Single Barrel Selects are staples on my shelf; and I’ve recently become a fan of the Chattanooga Whiskey line. But as a thoroughly southern fried boy from NC, the mythology of TN whiskey was still lost on me—nothing to romanticize or emotionally connect to. But I saw the light, y’all, with a store pick George Dickel 15 year that made it all make sense to me. How can you that much flavor at that low a proof—& with that eternal finish? The quintessential Dicklel note that can polarize is just perfection here. It’s smooth, perfectly sweet, and just hot enough, & I’ve never had a bottle pull me along quite so quickly for MORE. This bottle is my conversion to TN whiskey. If you have not made a decision yet, might I suggest letting Brother George Dickel lead you down that road to Damascus

As enjoyable to nose as anything I can think of. Tasting, vanilla, butterscotch and rum converge with a thick, dense mouthfeel & welcome heat. Dovetail doesn’t taste like much of anything I’ve had, including other Barrell offerings—Rare Perfection hits some of the same notes, without as creamy a mouthfeel or as much going on finish wise. The flavors are so purely delicious it’s hard to imagine complaining about them, though there it’s such a substantive, perhaps even wintry pour, I could imagine Dovetail being a bit seasonal for some.

I don’t know if I’ve ever had a bourbon drink this far under proof, & that is a compliment. I would believe that 111 is 90 for as easy as it goes down, until that long, lingering finish. Notes of vanilla and butterscotch, though I pull a revolving door of candies—but all candy store goodness, not over sweetness. At $45, a unique, high value bottle.

I don’t love the flagship Maker’s or even the 46 as much as I want to. But while not a proof snob, it’s here with the 46 cask strength that the line comes really comes alive. The basic colors of the 46 cask strength are strong on their own, and have proven to be a reliable base for plenty of wonderful experiments in the wood finishing & private select series.

Angel’s Envy Finished Rye has a maple syrup/Christmas morning thing going on that is so sweet, you have to think of it as dessert. This has something of that same kind of flavor profile, but without the sweet dialed to 11, the right amount of heat, and the classic michter’s notes on the vertebrae—a unique, delightful pour. If I wanted bourbon for breakfast, this would be the one (and I love breakfast).

Not the most robust, exciting bottle, but a really pleasant, easy sipper.

The single barrel is generally only $5 or so more than the small batch, but a far superior value. On the other end, while I like the small batch select & barrel proofs I’ve had, the single barrel is a staple for a reason—this is a bottle that consistently delivers.

Fascinating—I have never experienced this much disparity between barrels. My OF barrel strength is similar in character to Jack Daniels Barrel Proof: very alcohol forward, big & sweet & tasty but with an unremarkable mouthfeel—an easy bottle to like, but a hard one to love. The OF barrel proof Private pick I just tried at The Norman in OK is a different beast. It has the same elegant mouthfeel of the George T Stagg, so perfectly balanced that it’s 132 proof drinks like it’s 105. Where mine is rough, this is somehow equally delicate & massive—much closer to the OF 117. One is good but not great, the other one of the finest bottles I’ve ever tasted.