Buffalo Trace Kosher Straight Rye (2020 Release)

Heat like a rye with some citrus and clove flavor.

To my knowledge I've never had a Kosher whiskey. This will be my first, though I will be reviewing BT's two bourbon releases on time. Not sure what to expect, other than what I know of Sazarec and Col. Taylor Rye. Nose: Black licorice and dill pickle. Black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Some apple. cherry, and new car leather that signify a Buffalo Trace rye. Vanilla and apricot. Some pistachio. Oak and pumpkin spice. Palate: Apple and cherry carry over. Caramel and vanilla. Dill and black licorice. Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Mint chocolate. Oak. More apricot and pumpkin spice. Finish: Cherry first. Then all of the spices. Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg. Dill. Oak. Moderate to long. A bit hot but not off-putting. I checked around the internet, and this isn't too popular. In fact, people really beat this one up. Personally, I feel it holds its own with Sazarec and Col. Taylor at every level. Col. Taylor is the best of the three, but it's double the price. This is better than half as good as the Taylor, and equivalent to Sazarec. It's a bit on the brash side. It embodies many classic rye characteristics, which I happen to enjoy. Yet it's got a distinctly Buffalo Trace flavor. I must note that this has really benefitted with time. I didn't enjoy it all that much when I first cracked the bottle. Overall score is 4.25. I bumped a half star for value. At $40, this is one of the cheaper quality ryes in my market. Not sure if this was a one-off or will remain a core product. If you can find it for this price, it's worth a go.