Woodinville Straight 100% Rye (90 Proof)

Nose is of Hot Tamales-like cinnamon, dense floral notes, strawberry fruit leather, and cedar. Palate is of lavender, leather, not too sweet, some frondsy plants, well balanced. Finishes with applesauce. Very good. Makes me wish I had cask strength.

Nose after long rest: Fruit forward with blueberry, strawberry mixed with vanilla, bubblegum, black pepper, orange, black tea Taste; begins with a caramel and pepper, then fruit sweetness that moves from strawberry to strawberry pie with caramelly vanilla coming into the taste later on. Later one decays to more caramel and a touch of spice heat late on. Moderate finish with a touch of astringency like confectionery sugar and char bitterness.

Good stuff Nose: Pepper, Strawberries, Vanilla, Caramel, Maple Syrup, Anise, Cloves, Dill, Cinnamon, Plums Palate: Caramel, Sourdough, Cloves, Cinnamon, Anise, Red Apples, Vanilla, Cherries, Flowers, Bananas, Spearmint, Herbs Finish: Pepper, Vanilla, Cherries, Anise, Cinnamon, Licorice, Dark Chocolate, Grass, Herbs

Grassy, spices, and yeasty sweet cereal on the nose. Spicy rye and burnt sugar, vanilla oak explode in the mouth. Medium thin body and some ethanol burn. Mint, pepper and spicy through the finish. Astringent oak wood and sour flavors linger. Opens and mellows with a little water/ice. I'll have to think about this over time, but first, second, and third night tastes are pretty consistent. Doesn't hit the quality mark for me. Much like their micro-barreled rye I had 5 years ago.

Sour apples in the nose, like cider. A bit of vinegar and pickles as well, and some wood spice. Smooth on the palate, the wood notes carry over, some cola, and every now and then a hint of florals. The sour notes aren't as strong as the nose. Definitely some young notes, almost like a young bourbon, surprising. Slight bitterness at the end. 10/7/20