Redemption Rye Rum Cask Finish (Batch 2)

I was really disappointed with this one. After thoroughly enjoying the Templeton Caribbean Rum Cask, and being a big fan of the Angel's Envy Rye - both of which are rum-finished MGP 95/5 rye, I figured I'd give this one a shot to see how it compares. In a word, it doesn't. The rum finish is almost non-existent, it just tastes like young MGP rye with a very faint hint of tropical notes at the tail end of the finish. Definitely not worth the 115% premium ($58 vs $27) over a standard bottle of Redemption Rye. You'd be better off just mixing a splash of rum into a glass of your favorite rye. UPDATE: After doing some digging I found out this is 2yr old rye finished for just 3 months in rum casks, no wonder it tastes so young and has very little influence from the rum casks. In comparison, the Templeton is 6yr rye finished for 6 months, and Angel's Envy Rye is 6-7 years old and finished for 18 months. The AE is definitely the best of the bunch, but the Templeton is a very close 2nd and a great value at nearly 1/2 the price of the AE.

Pretty chemical aroma with hints of vanilla and pineapple. Light herbal taste, good barrel. A bit hot on the finish but I love this

Nose: Cereal grain, herbal notes, coconut, brown sugar, vanilla, and spice. Palate: Earthy and herbaceous, clove, coconut, underripe banana, cinnamon and honey. A bit disjointed overall. Tastes like it could use a bit more time in the rum casks to develop the flavors more.

Nose - Heavy syrupy rum, salty, some rye spice on the back end, tropical fruit Taste - Rye spice, simple syrup, good balance of rum flavor, strong fruit cocktail