Woodford Reserve Straight Rye

Full disclosure, I’m a Scotch whisky drinker first and foremost, then Irish, then rye, then bourbon. And I rate all whisky/whiskey on how it is neat, and think that rye is typically better suited for cocktails than sipping, most especially for an Old Fashioned (my primary drink after a neat whisky). So with all that said, I will say 1) this makes a great Old Fashioned, and 2) it is the best sipping rye I’ve ever had. I find that as I get older, I prefer less sweet libations, hence rye beating out bourbon...but even still, many ryes can be a little harsh since they are spicy by nature. The Woodford, however, is an extremely well balanced rye, spicy and sweet in perfect measures and one of the few I will sip neat. The nose is very nice and reminds me of the sweet straw smell of walking through a field of ripe grain. On the tongue it’s fruity and peppery in a surprisingly complimentary fashion. It will never beat out a great single malt whisky, but as ryes go, you won’t do better.

Nose: peppermint, fresh, green spices. Underlying sweetness. Less sweet, more spicy than the Michter's Rye. Palate: vanilla sweet, spicy. Long, fresh, spicy finish. Like spiced chocolate. Oaky. More robust versus the Michter's Rye.