Sazerac Rye

A delight. I found more bourbon flavor in this rye than I expected. I love the finish, the heat lingers. "Lingerers!" Great pour from novice to connoisseur.

Finally found a bottle from a store that doesn't think everything from Frankfort is a gold mine of profit just waiting to happen. Anyway...whisky politics aside: The nose is alcohol burn, with an undercurrent of simple syrup and vanilla...not much happening here. The palate is better, with a big hit of sharp spices (black pepper, clove, ginger, cinnamon) that quickly moves to a much smoother, sweeter profile with caramel, molasses and vanilla. The hot spice never really reappears, and the finish is like a well-used stick of Big Red; you can tell it wants to be cinnamon, but it's not quite getting you there. Overall, I was a bit surprised, and had hoped for more. It's better than Old Overholt (and at double the price, I should hope so), but it's not nearly as complex and interesting as the Jim Beam Pre-Prohibition Rye. I'm glad I tried it, but in this case I feel the limited availability and the Buffalo Trace allure have created a drama that tires quickly once a glass is actually in-hand.

If you want to start with good RYES and you can find this, get it. I think it is both unique enough to be different, but pure and traditional enough to be a TRUE RYE. It really hits the nail square.