Pikesville Straight Rye

Michters Straight Rye with the volume turned up

Nose: More subtle than you'd expect - baking spices are here, but this leans more into pine and lemon peel territory. Tart cherries, too. Toasted cereal grain. Buried bleu cheese funk. Dusty leather. Light tobacco, hay. Salty meat vibe also buried way deep in there. Floral, herbal - dill and rosemary. Kind of reminded of poached salmon with lemon and dill in the packet. Slight sugar, solid oak and char character. Palate: Oak, toasted grain, bitter lemon, dill, rosemary. Tart cherries. Sweetness, but not overbearing. Subtle cocoa, vanilla, tobacco, and leather. Ground cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon. Wintergreen. Slightly vegetal - yellow bell peppers come to mind. Really solid tannin (and accompanying bitterness) coming through, with barrel char and oak joining the party. Toasted black peppercorns. Moderately dry. Overall emphasis on upper palate and tapers away as you move down - I wish there was some more body to the flavors on display, though what's here is quite enjoyable. Medium mouthfeel. Finish: A spray of citrus oil, bright flowers, sandalwood, light tobacco. Bitterness and tannin texture come in, then a swell of citrus brightness. Wintergreen, mint, and camphor pop in here and there. Barrel, black pepper, vanilla frosting to carry things out. Medium-long finish. Other notes: Different from other offerings on the market. But different in a good way, as this firmly sits in the Maryland tradition, as opposed to the Old Monongahela style. And it works. If you're not a fan of most rye currently on the market, I highly suggest picking up a bottle of this. This also highlights just how much influence the fermentation, distillation, and maturation can influence the end product alongside the mash bill. Solid buy. Might not be a regular fixture in my cabinet, but I may pick it up again down the road.

This rye is fire. This rye is magical. Pine and caramel nose with a little oak. Vanilla ice cream as well. The palate is smooth, wintermint, chocolate mints, a lovely mouthfeel from start to finish.

Absolute favorite Rye. Has a very smooth approach and a slow roll into the spice notes in the finish. Magnificent

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