Catoctin Creek Laphroaig Cask (Pearson's Wine and Spirits selection)

@ Delilah's 6/22/21 Too peaty for me

This is a small batch (306-bottle) release that was selected by Pearson's Wine and Spirits in Washington, D.C.  Catoctin Creek took a 3 year, 92-poof barrel of their rye and and finished it in a Laphroaig cask for 6 months. Nose:  A bit of the old bookstore funkiness that I recognize in Catoctin Creek, along with some of the typical cinnamon, vanilla, and herbal notes that you get with a typical rye.  No discernable smoke. Palate:  Comes on like a fairly young rye, but also has a butteriness to go with a cinnamon and black pepper taste.  The peat influence is pretty subtle, at first, and only builds after repeated tastes.  The major effect of the Laphroaig Cask is to make the Catoctin Creek more robust and complex. Finish:  This is where the peat is most-notable.  The spice lingers, but is joined by a restrained, but clear smoke note.  If I didn't know how this whiskey had been peat-cask finished, the taste would probably be a bit mysterious.  As it is, it's like running into an old friend at a bar when you weren't expecting him. Overall:  This is a really welcome effort by Catoctin Creek and I wish they'd make it a standard part of their line-up.  They took the whiskey out of the second barrel at the right time, not overdoing the Laphroaig finish.  The rye still serves as the main event, with the Laphroaig enhancing the best things about the Catoctin Creek.  I think this would be good for people who prefer rye in general and are looking to try something a little different.  Reasonable price, too, for a rare whiskey.