Pinhook Bourbon N Rye

EDIT: 2/21/18 Oh man... has this opened up. Still lively, but the youth is soft late spring fruits, herbs, morning dew, and fresh flowers! The mouthfeel seems thicker somehow. The balance of spice and herb and floral with sweet baked honey cornbread is perfect, with both sides of the equation packing punches of flavor. This is a winner of a rye right here. If you like Pikesville, I think you'd like this, though prepare yourself for more of the botanicals and less HH nutty yeast character. Pinhook Bourbon N Rye Straight Rye Whiskey 93.5 proof, Lot 001 2/15/18 Freshly cracked wax top. Should be interesting to revisit in a month. A: Tarnished gold. beady droplets make thin legs that disperse N: Caramel corn and freshly baked honey corn bread, sweet, a bit honey, a bit corn, with some warm toastiness. Air time reveals the rye grain spice. T: Super light! Like apple juice. This must be some young whiskey. Upfront it's grainy in a positive way. The oaky oils manifest in a resinous, sappy feel and flavor, with an almost piney tang. The fruit notes are an assortment of different fresh apples, estery. The profile descents into more familiar rye territory further and further, bringing marjoram, thyme, and caraway to the fore. F: The finish is the lingering herbal bitterness of the marjoram, thyme, and caraway notes. It reminds me like having chewed a seed of bishop's weed (carom seed). Not exactly short, but is only the lingering of those last flavor notes, straightforward. O: Nothing super-complex, but there are enough notes for this to be interesting, and I'd take it as an everyday rye over baby Saz and Bulleit... but not over Rittenhouse.

Very light and smooth. Flavors of baking spices, green apple, and subtle earthy notes.