Pikesville Straight Rye

Yummy!

Solid favorite rye after multiple tastings

This one is surprisingly a long time coming. I'm fairly sure (although not certain) that I sampled this while at the distillery, side by side with Rittenhouse. Of course, with Rittenhouse being a superior rye, it was even more surprising to find that I fell for this one (or so I remember). So, I finally picked up a bottle of "top shelf Rittenhouse." The nose invites fresh rye, but also a much deeper blend of spice, likely from the longer aging. It seems like a simple scent of cinnamon mellowed out with oak and caramel, but of course, the best things usually are simple. The initial taste is almost that of a high-rye bourbon, which is to say oily, obviously full of rye spice, but letting the oak and vanilla take point. Then, like one of the best magic tricks I've seen in a while, the cinnamon (mellowed much more with age than one would taste from Rittenhouse, however) explodes forth when given air. It doesn't stop there, though; as more air is introduced, slight hints of freshly cut grass, more oak, and more of the oily body come into play, like Pikesville shouted invites from the rooftops to this party that they're having. The finish, as a good rye whiskey should be, burns the mouth, but not from alcohol, oh no, but with the cinnamon spice of a challenging spice candy. It's a much longer finish than that of Rittenhouse, which really defines who the big brother is here. If my distillery adventure truly wasn't a fever dream, then me saying out loud during tasting, "I remember why I love this whiskey so much" makes sense. Thank your god that the Heaven Hill bandwagon finally broke down. I like their products as much as any other normal collector, but now that the media train is on Buffalo Trace (for reasons unknown to the universe), I can seemingly enjoy their products, including this one, much more now that I can find it without going on side quests.