Spirit Works Straight Rye Finished in Sloe Gin Single Cask #4 Spring 2022 (Lost Lantern)

Rating: 16/23 Sloe gin is contentious stuff, so I'm surprised that anyone would use it for finishing. But I'm also intrigued. N: Spicy with rich herbal character like dill and peppermint. It's fairly rich with a fruity sweetness that must be the sloe gin. Based on the nose, I think that the gin is doing a great job here. It's hard for me to pull out a lot of particular scents, but my overall impression is that this is a very nice decadent rye nose. P: Less fullness and richness than I'd expected comes out at first, but then big rye spices and herbs come in. I get kind of a nice 6 year old MGP vibe. There's some kind of leathery wood too that's really nice. Then the fruity sweetness from the gin starts coming in. It's doing really well, but then the gin bitterness comes crashing in. There's juniper and weird lemon and orange flavors that don't work so well with the rest of the rye palate. F: Unfortunately, the finish continues to be quite bitter. That juniper bitterness is the dominant flavor and I really don't like it. There's definite spice still and some notes of herbs and sweet fruits, but that juniper is really oppressive. - Conclusion - There are a lot of flavors here that I like, but unfortunately the gin really drags this down - though not in the way I'd expected. Pikesville (16/23) is a clear win over this. It definitely has less of a pure rye flavor, but it doesn't have such a jarring note to it. My single barrel bottling of George Dickel 15 (15/23) isn't as bitter as this, though it is more tannic. Still, although the tannins aren't great, they taste more natural. There two are getting fairly close to each other, but I'd go with the Dickel. I think that this is a 13 or 14, though I could imagine a 12 and might be able to be convinced of a very low 15. There's enough really nice here for me to enjoy it at times, but it's also flawed enough that I struggle just as much. I'm leaning toward a 13. Coming back the next day, that bitter flavor is mercifully substantially reduced! There is still a juniper bite and it's more present than I'd like, but this is tasting more like a product that makes sense. There's a lot going on and I'm even getting some nice caramel now. I'm still not a fan of that juniper, but I like this better than I did before for sure. This is getting kind of competitive with Whistlepig PiggyBack (16/23). Color me surprised! It's a bit sweet like a cocktail, but not quite across that line. Pikesville is also no longer the clear winner here. I think that this is going to be yet another 16 rye and another success for Lost Lantern! Honestly, I could even believe that this is a 17. I think that another year in the rye's original cask, rather than that year it spent in the gin cask, would have been good prior to aging it in the sloe gin cask. Thank you, @PBMichiganWolverine , for sharing this one! It's really weird, but it grew on me over the course of my sampling. Definitely still a challenge though.

Back in the 80’s when hair was big, collars were worn upright, and cocktails were exotic (Pina Coladas, Bay Breeze, Alabama Slammers, Kamakazis), whenever we went out to a club or bar I would often get a Sloe Gin Fizz. I was introduced to it by someone, now, long forgotten. Sweet and sour with bubbles. Now, it has finally come together: my world of yesteryear merging with my more straightforward whisky sipping. I would never have thought to try the mix the two. But, here we have it. Now, let me put “Take on Me” on the stereo, watch Top Gun and rekindle my days of yore with some whisky. A nose that lures, entices, and confuses. It is a unique and odd combination of aromas that individually provide nice aromas. But when combined, leave you scratching yet wanting another sniff. Take Red Licorice and cedar saw dust, mix in dill and ginger ale and place in a cellar next to old musty library books. As odd as it sounds, you are drawn to smell again. You can’t help yourself. A draw onto the palate, what starts off as seemingly easy grows intensely hot. Once the intensity begins to diminish, you can begin to detect some flavors. Sweet grenadine which then morphs into cherry NyQuil mixed with Ginger ale. As it starts to fade, it begins to turn bitter and spicy with lemon oil and black pepper. Water is needed to cool it down a bit. Dropping an ice cube on this hot summer evening, water draws out a brown sugar and vanilla qualities and tones down the cherry dominance. Definitely an improved whiskey with water/ice. That bitter, peppery finish fade continues and ultimately what’s stays on the palate with a flavor of cherries and cedar wood. This remains for a fair length finally leaving the palate woody and dry, like chewing on a toothpick. The nose is like nothing similar to anything I have encountered before. The unique aroma that s definitely the strongest segment of the whiskey. The cherry flavor from the Sloe Gin is well infused. However, it does dominate and smothers the other flavors and may mask some that aren’t strong enough to break through. It is definitely young and vibrant and the added punch in abv is always good. It’s good but and would grab one if I happened to see it on a shelf. But I wouldn’t seek it out in particular. Thanks @PBMichiganWolverine for the ample pour. [86/100][Tasted: 7/23/22]

You know that saying “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” ? I think every one of us here, or at least those reading this post, is an exception to that saying. Growing up, I remember my parents, who were immigrants carrying 2 blue collar working class jobs ( secretary and an electrician), would ask a millions questions before making purchases, and then, where applicable, bargain like hell just to save a dime. Here’s a typical scene—-them going to our local Hoboken produce market to buy veggies: “ when did these potatoes come in? Do you have any fresher ones in the back? If I buy a bunch of other vegetables, what’s the discount? “ etc. Now here we are…looking at a bottle of whiskey that’s only 3 yr old, finished in something called “sloe gin”. I don’t even know what the hell that is. All I did was a quick Google search and that’s it…forked down $100 and made a purchase. See…if I was of the previous generation, and of a blue collar working class immigrant community, I’d have asked “ $100 for this 3 yr old? I can get a 10yr old Russel’s Reserve for 1/2 as much. You should giving a major discount for a no-name distillery finished in some weird gin. Tell you what…I’ll buy this for $50. That’s fair” But, no…unfortunately , we’re of a different generation. And I think our kids will be even that much farther from the tree. They’ll be dancing while holding this bottle and making TikTok videos. So… this..this is weird. It’s a 2 year rye, finished in sloe gin ( which a quick Google search informed me that’s it’s just gin sweetened with some sort of berries). I love the nose…fruity but not sweet. Like junipers and berries…no surprise. Nose is spectacular. The taste is a bit weird…a slight bitter tinge to it, and intense heat making you feel every percent of that ABV. I added water, which tamed the heat, but also tamed the flavor where it became a bit high rye bourbon-y. It’s an interesting experiment, but not interesting enough to buy a bottle. Lost Lantern products are expensive—-and I think the lesson learned here is to ask the right questions to see if it’s a fit…some of their products are amazing for everyone ( Balcones #3), and some just not amazing for everyone ( this one ).