Pikesville Straight Rye

Very good rye. In my opinion it’s the Buffalo Trace of rye. Good everyday rye.

Take the last train to Pikesville and I'll meet you at the station, be there by 4:30 for I've made your reservation.. Ok enough Monkeeying around, (inspired by Olddude and maybe 4 other guys), Pikesville is a pretty heady rye, with a rich nose of sweet red hots and oranges and a touch of lemon grass, a nod of leather(old english) I like the direction Heaven Hill is going with this one. Front: as advertised it is a rich dose of hot and spicy rye, there is no mistaking the distinct rye grain taste with some chaff and dusty barrel treatment riding shotgun. Some dark brown sweetness, almost a molasses, makes a short appearance in the middle. Anise and clove with nibs..(thanks Fafnir) FInish: tapers off warm and salty, the rye grain is never ending loads of it and still warm burning down the gullet and yet smooth with hints of citrus. After all this is a stout and only mildly cut, high proof libation, this may be a serious rye drinkers rye as much as Willet or Whistle Pig considering the full bodied notes and lack of impurity. The pricing on this bottle tends to be a bit high but there is a lot to offer here, I can get behind the idea of this being a "go to" bottle, much like the Knob and Russels Single Barrell ryes. It seams Heaven Hill has their own entry in the serious but not exorbitantly priced ryes market as well. Certainly a bottle any serious rye drinker would want but maybe not one that a novice rye drinker is ready for, a decent HH product all the same.