Russell's Reserve 6 Year Rye

Fantastic. Sampled as a neat pour at Whiskey Cake. This is every bit of what I want in Rye. Nose- spice & crusty rye bread Palate- creamy mouthfeel, honey caramel & vanilla sweetness backed by plenty of baking spice Finish- is moderate and carries the spice out tapering to slight Oakiness.

Ok for a rye

I like a good rye whiskey I’m partial to them, this is a good rye whiskey. This isn’t a “WOW I’M A RYE WHISKEY”, but it’s a really well balanced and very smooth rye. A little on the sweeter side up front in the body with burnt sugars and cinnamon spice, if you search a little you might pick up a little raisin with the char barrel spice, the finish is a little spicy at first but it turns sweetly on the tongue. I guess the description of this for me is it is truly a congenial and not overly complex rye whiskey, it lacks the pizazz I generally expect. So even though this isn’t a standout rye for me it is certainly worth a try, completely enjoyable and not disappointing. This is obviously a rye whiskey, but it didn’t hit the “WOW” factor for me. I would’ve put this as a $30 bottle but in my neck of the woods but it hit me for $40. No regrets here mind you, but I can pick up my favorite “R” rye for $28.

Easy and sweet on the front end, but has the rye spice on the back. A go to rye, all but perfect. Best with an ice cube

Grabbing this bottle just to throw some more (hopefully) interesting rye into my collection the 6 year Russells Rye at 90 proof isn't quite a heavy weight barreller but still has a pit of punch to pack and some interesting things going on in the flavor spectrum. The standard Russells bottle with a promising 6 year age statement in green lettering makes this an inviting bottle just to lay hand on. nose: ginger, fennel, floral honey notes steal the show with some mild vanillins and tangy citrus front: caramel sugars and standard peppery rye spice load the front end with some lemon and tart orange bitters joining the barrel char, less cinnamon and red hot sweetness than the nose offers but a good juxtaposition of sharp spice and corn-malt sugars. finish: pepper and lemon grass load the back end with a fairly mild charcoal heat all but retiring the sugars and spice. Over all this is a good quality of rye, nothing too memorable but having enough body of flavors to make it something you wouldn't want to pass up either. The smoothness and lack of telltale green youth don't belie the age statement, as this one carries no "bad habits". I'd definitely recommend a tryout at your neighborhood bar and or grab a bottle if you want to spice up your bar inventory. Russell's 6 Year Rye, certainly worthy of the name and an undeniable quality rye. Cheers. (a Montecristo signature or white label is a no brainer for a great drink-smoke combo here)