Woodford Reserve Straight Rye

"Hey! You got Rye in my bourbon" "hey! you got bourbon in MY RYE!" "hey......" "HEY!!!!!" So Chris Morris didn't want Woodford Rye to be just another green labeled bottle, and that may have just worked out. The great tastes that taste great together, bourbon and rye are pretty well cobbled together here, off the top I get the expected redhot-cinnamon and clove rye warmth but also a nose full of sweet vanilla and caramel notes with some malted milk thrown in just to make sure my sweet tooth is satisfied. A distinct cola-cake thing going on which I never liked cola-cake when I was kid, but now I'm thinking it's not so bad. Now the rye purist may balk at that sweet cinnamon mouth full and again that cola-cake taste, a tad of orange citrus sweetness with just a hint of spearment bubblegum as the warm amber juice fades out in the end. This is some pretty unique stuff going on even high rye bourbons don't usually come near, but as we can expect from Woodford, with plenty of good things going on there is also a distinct lack of anything bad. The finish is incredibly smooth and just leaves me wanting another sip to remind me how gorgeous this concoction truly is. Perhaps not a purists favorite rye but certainly a bourbon lover rye, this green labeled bottle should turn heads. cheers!

After reading good reviews, I picked this up on the way to the weekend at the lake. Store had it on sale for less than $40. Wonderful full body body whiskey with an nice oak and char start, mellowing into a sweetness that delitefully lingered on the tongue.

If you like Ryes but want a little more sweetness and less bite, this fits your bill. If Ryes aren't your favorite, but you'd like to have one in the cabinet, this fits your bill. If you love Ryes, you might be a little disappointed in how sweet it is, but your wallet won't hurt at this price. Doesn't blow anybody away but hits a target in the market that many will enjoy.

Strong bite/spice, long finish, semi sweet,

A sweet and rich whiskey. One of my all time favorite and easy to find in store shelves

Full of flavor with subtle nuances and fruit undertones. A great rye for a nice price.

Nose features a moderate strength aroma of cedar wood, rye seeds, ripe pear, and black pepper. Palate features undefined cereal grain, honey, and black peppercorn, leading to a mid-palate of cherry liqueur and wood that is equal parts oak and cedar. Kind of missing the bready note I have enjoyed in other ryes. Not very herbal, and more sweet than spicy. Mouthfeel light and airy (not a bad thing given the flavor profile). Overall finish is short and very mild with no burn whatsoever, with a lingering spearmint note that remains after all other flavors are ancient history. There's nothing off putting here, but also nothing to write home about. Slightly misses the mark for what I am looking for in a rye. At $35, it is an ok value but when you consider that Rittenhouse and baby Saz are considerably cheaper, well...this probably doesn't make the cut for re-buy status for me.