A. Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey

First released in the Spring of 2024. Unique mash bill of rye and malted barley. No corn. Warm baking spices, smooth easy to drink straight or with a tiny amount of ice. $40.00 in N. Virginia Dec 2024

Pours a beautiful amber and produces multiple slow running legs in a standard Glencairn. On yhe nose there is dark fruit and baking spice with a hint of graham crackers. On the palate the rye pepper comes through, but doesn’t overpower the fruit and sweetness from the nose. This is a very nice sipping rye.

Nose gets us started with graham cracker, nutmeg, root vegetable, crisp spruce, apple (weird for a rye but it’s there), and…cookie dough? Is this really a rye? Whoa. Palate is out there. Chocolate, mint, golden raisin, black cherry, iced gingerbread cookie, the apple from the nose, and tea leaf. I’m shocked and delighted by how sweet and fruity this is. If I have a critique, it’s that the flavors are slightly subdued. Finish is medium length with ginger ale, white pepper, lemon cake, light cinnamon, musty barn, and soft oak. Mouthfeel is light bodied but soft and silky and easy on the tongue. Completely unconventional and It’s rare to get something this unique at the price point. As a rye? Questionable. As a whiskey? Delicious. Surprised me to the point of nearly blowing me away. At $47, it’s a no-brainer rebuy. Proof that something doesn’t have to limited edition or a bazillion dollars to be great.

A OVERHOLT GLASS: Standard Glencairn NOSE: The nose is Great. The Malt shows first with Cocoa, Tea, and Cherry. The Rye brings Biscuit Dough, Mint, Ginger, and Cinnamon. I’m also getting a nice undercurrent of Confectioners Sugar. With some time, it’s a shapeshifter, as just when you think the herbal rye notes have finally taken over, a light swirl of the liquid brings back the Cocoa and Cherry. Well done! NEAT: Lives up to the nose. Sweet Tea and Cocoa on the initial sip. Sort of Oily on the palate with Cherry, Vanilla, Ginger, and Drying Oak as you continue. I also get hints of the “Old Garage” note (think of an old Full Service Gas Station with old motor oil and tires) that I get more prominently from other Old Overholt expressions. There’s a good bit of Peppery Spice on the Finish, leaving behind a Tingly coating aftertaste of Tea Leaves, Ginger, and Dry Dusty Oak. As it builds it becomes Cinnamon. Similar to the aftertaste of an Atomic Fireball. Nice Glow in the chest as well. Maybe a little hotter than its Proof, but in GOOD way. If there’s a flaw, it’s maybe I get a slight tannic note on the finish the further I get into the pour, but it’s not enough to cost it any points. SPLASH: A few drops of water brings some Brown Sugar to both nose and palate. VERDICT: Color me impressed. This is on par with the 10 year Cask Strength in my rankings. I love what Beam has been doing with this line (and others), and a new mashbill is a very welcome surprise. This is very well put together and I can see it being a keep on hand Item. Priced in line with Sazerac and Bulleit, and just above Rittenhouse seems about right to me. I also love the old style bottle and old fashioned cork. A solid 4 Stars.

Cherries, apple, and some gingerbread notes with cocoa, cherry, and some spices on the palate. Finishes off nicely with little burn and a some fruitiness.