Pinhook Hard Rye Guy

I’ve seen Pinhook around everywhere and had the chance to the the rye at a bar. I was excited to try this as I’m a big rye fan. The nose wasn’t great. Like minty and spice but an odd combination. The palate wasn’t great either as the taste had more of a kick to it with all baking spices. I wasn’t able to get a ton of flavors from it as it tasted hot with so much spice. The finish was just as poor for me. Hot finish with more spice that just overpowered everything. Overall, I wasn’t a fan and will probably not buy any Pinhook bottles until I can try them first.

Kentucky straight rye whiskey distilled by Castle & Key in Frankfort, KY. Mashbill 60% rye, 20% corn, 20% malted barley, aged "more than two years," but not much. Bottled in 2021 at 98 proof. Light golden color, average legs in the glass. Banana and maple syrup, with a little rye grassiness and spice on the nose. Sweet and a little sour in the mouth--vanilla and grain and some ethanol heat, giving way quickly to dry tannic oak (a little acrid), vanilla, and hot rye spice in a long finish. The sour and ethanol heat shows how young this is. To riff on an old 1960s song, "All we are saying, is give oak a chance." Needs more time to age. Ice cools it down but seems to accentuate the sweet/sour profile and tannic finish. Not the best neat, but good sipping with ice. This should mix well in cocktails--an Old Fashioned (ok, I tried it, it didn't) or a Manhattan (nope, not that either). OK, remains better on the rocks, maybe 3.5. It's just a little young to be more than a 3.25 neat. And since it mixes poorly... back to a 3.0, generously. But, will take some time and drink/think about it and that rating more. What's the hurry.

3.3.22 Served: Neat, Flute Bottle Open: Same Day Aroma: Pound Cake through and through. Nasal fatigue brings on unseasoned, starchy mashed potato. Flavor: Savory at first. Caramel in the mids through and through. Medicinal on the back end after water

It might seem like I hate on Castle & Key or Pinhook, but I really don't mean to. This profile is unique, and young, and thus a bit off-putting for me. This particular bottle for example - doesn't do it for me. Has a good 3-4 notes and leans heavily in one direction. With time, however, this could be a successor (or at least competitor) to MGP's more herbal profile. That kind of potential should earn the patronage of at least a handful of bourbon die-hards. This bottle is a bit light on the nose, which isn't surprising for 2 years. The color is also a bit light. Typical light caramel and wood notes - and then an interesting spice. I thought maybe caraway or fennel but on the palate it lands like a butter pickle. Not astringent, but certainly more herbal than sweet. Which takes me back to MGP. Frequently labeled as "dill," MGP churns out a product that, when left in a barrel for 10+ years, does something amazing. Around 5-6 years some interesting stuff starts happening but around 10-11 things become fascinating and 12+ years at barrel strength... you get the point. I'm not sure which way this will go because, frankly, it needs time to morph and come into its own. If the sweet notes become richer and deeper, the herbal qualities spread out and a bit of funk or leather finds it's way in then I might have a new favorite distillery. I feel like it's worth supporting them and hoping they can put out enough volume to have some really incredible 10+ year stock available within 12-15 years (depending on distilling/barreling/warehouse capacity). Speculation aside I don't know that I would recommend this particular bottle unless you like butter pickles and also like corn whiskey. If you like both of those things, and have $50+ to spend then go for it. I would spring on this rather than another NDP bottling super young MGP at the same price if that's the direction you are leaning.

It is good part way though I get a slight pickle taste that I've never had before in anything else. Tried 3 separate days taste the same. Had it neat