Rittenhouse Rye Bottled in Bond

Nose smells of baking spices and red apple. A little oily on the tongue, I get tastes of rye spice, a hint of vanilla, and more of that crisp red apple. A pleasant warm oak backbone holds it all together. Not a bad pour at this price point, but probably not one I will come back to. Might be a nice mixer.

Rye with caramel, oak, spice on the nose. Taste starts with rye, caramel and the spice kicks in. Bit spicy but towards the end it’s tempered a bit by a buttery finish. Solid choice, enjoyable.

nose is strong baking spice (clove, nutmeg), spicy rye, honey, toast with jam. Body is light but sharp, slightly sweet and oily, floral honey, maple syrup. Makes me want to shout "brambleberry bush". Finish is floral through and through, long with hints of spice in the back. Stone fruit.

Pours a light golden color with moderate legs. Smell has a nice spicebox component to it, a little oak and vanilla kicking in as well, but feels very bourbony (as opposed to distinct rye). Certainly get that rye spice in the taste as well, almost peppery, with some caramel too. Again, though, it has a very bourbony feel. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, a little on the oily side, a little harsh and moderately boozy. Overall, it feels like a pretty standard whiskey, very nice for what it is, works fine neat and it makes good cocktails, but there’s nothing here that melts my face either. I’m no rye expert, but this feels more like an extra high rye bourbon than full rye, but maybe that’s just my lack of experience coming through. Still, as an all purpose whiskey, it’s good, and cheap too. Beer Nerd Musings: The Rittenhouse Rye barrel aged Eclipse stout was my favorite entry from the 2012 vintage, though it did not fare quite as well in the 2014 vintage horizontal tasting I held. The 2019 Bourbon Count Brand Stout Reserve was aged in Rittenhouse Rye Barrels (I know you guys, but the Bourbon County brand extends to rye) and it’s exceptional! Weirdly, the rye seemingly comes out more in this beer than the whiskey itself… I always wonder if younger barrels make for better beer aging than older ones, and honestly, the propensity for good Rittenhouse aged beers gives me pause because older whiskey barrels tend to get the most attention.

It shines like a diamond in my Boston sour. By far the best whiskey I've tasted, for mixing that is.