Rossville Union Barrel Proof Straight Rye

I’ve had this bottle for months and just now opened it. What a week balanced rye whiskey.

Very light, fruity nose. Can’t quite pick out the palate…maybe a citrus note or apple. Slight licorice and mild spice on the finish

Just ok flavor but nothing special and probably won’t buy again.

Nose - anise, peppermint, dry herbal notes, banana bread, dill, yeast, spiced apple, caramel, vanilla, clove, dry oak, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - anise, peppermint, apple, orange oil, dill, underripe banana, vanilla, caramel, clove, earthy herbal notes, white pepper, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium length with peppermint, anise, rye spice, and caramel flavors. I’ve tasted MGP rye under many different names, but since I just finished a series of George Remus offerings, I figured another MGP house brand would be the next logical step. There’s no mistaking this for a rye on the nose. The ethanol is very strong, which makes it a bit difficult to identify individual aromas. But once you overcome the fumes, anise, dill, banana bread, and clove are all present in spades. The palate is similarly alcohol-forward. This is one spicy rye. Many of the same qualities appear as flavors. There’s very little sweetness. Almost all the notes are herbal, minty, peppery, and citrusy. I’m a fan of spicy ryes, but this is so hot, bright, and earthy that it strikes me as one-dimensional. It’s certainly better than average, but I’d be more likely to take this in a high-octane cocktail than neat in a nosing glass.

No time to break this down

It’s a classic battle of the “villes,” Rossville vs. Pikesville. I probably should’ve picked something with a more similar mashbill to compare, but since Pikesville is pound-for-pound one of my favorite ryes and maybe the best whiskey in the cabinet at 40 bucks and under, I decided to do a side-by-side of the 40$ Pikesville and the 60$ Rossville. On color alone, the Pikesville stands out as considerably darker. On the nose, the Rossville comes across as much more ryey, with the dill note jumping out of the glass. The palate follows suit with the strong herbal flavors, along with some cinnamon and orange. The Pikesville has more corny sweetness with the rye spice on the back end. I think the Rossville is nicely done. I like it. However, it’s pretty middle-of-the-road for rye and I feel like I’ve had this before, probably since MGP seems to supply half the whiskey I see on liquor store shelves. I really enjoy MGP, or Squibb and whatever, and I will surely continue to spend a lot of money on their whiskies, but I’m not buying this one, and not just because I like Pikesville better. For a more ryey profile at 60 bucks I’d rather buy Willett 4 year Rye, as it’s more interesting. I’d also prefer Wilderness Trail SiB at around the same price. If this was closer to 40$ I might be a buyer. Lastly, big thank you again to @ctbeck11 the sample. Glad to have been able to taste this without going out and buying a bottle and later wishing I had saved some money by buying Pikesville.

Very good