Stellum Rye

Yummy. Nice amount of spice but not overwhelming. Elegant expression. Soft and approachable for 58.12%. Delicious on a large cube.

Nose: Freshly fruity and fragrant. The usual suspect rye spices are present but it’s light and delicate with lifted citrus, pine forest and menthol/mint aromas. There’s also a ginger note and inhaling this is not unlike smelling alcoholic ginger ale. Palate: Spicy/sweet. A fruity arrival and also a flavour that is reminiscent of dark ale with honeyed malt-extract notes. The palate is subjectively heavier and “darker” than the nose, but that’s probably due to the moderately high abv. Peppermint, mint and pepper in the development. The texture is dry and a little hard, again probably due to the higher than usual alcohol level. Finish: Medium. Same as the developed palate, slowly fading to minty spices and peppercorns with a tannic tingle. Pleasant, but young and generic. I enjoyed it but the local price is absurdly high and I would never buy a whole bottle. I’ve also been spoiled lately as several Australian distilleries have been bringing out rye whisky over the last few years and any of them leaves this for dead, and at half the price. At the same price Peter Bignall is producing rye whisky in Tasmania at his "one-step-away-from-moonshine" distillery that is stunningly oblique and interesting, and that’s definitely not something I would ever say about Stellum. Perfectly OK, but only just above average, and not recommended due to the price. Tasted from a 15ml sampler. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)