RYE SHOWDOWN #3 Bulleit 95 Rye Frontier Whiskey Knob Creek Small Batch Straight Rye Whiskey Continuing my recent foray back into ryes (see “High Test Rye Showdown,” 8/17/22, and “Rye Showdown #2,” 8/21/22). Bulleit 95 Rye Frontier Whiskey Surprisingly, this bottle is over half empty, and I don’t recall drinking any within the past two years, at least. Watered down orange mahogany bourbon in color. Nose shows some rye typicity, oak, cinnamon, honey, and a hint of eucalyptus. Coming back to it after the Knob Creek reveals a Granny Smith apple note. A bit thin on the palate, where some vanilla makes an appearance, along with orangey citrus and a little back-end spice. Finishes similarly. No age statement, but at least four years due to the “Straight American Rye Whiskey” designation. 95% rye; 5% malted barley. Sourced from MGP. 90 proof. No hard edges; nothing off-putting; but very middle-of-the-road. Would make a decent Manhattan or Old Fashioned (now that I think of it, I think this is how more than half of my bottle found its way out). 3.0 on the Distiller scale. Knob Creek Small Batch Straight Rye Whiskey This bottle has only a quarter of it remaining. Like the Bulleit, I believe this was the result of the same cocktails, and I haven’t consumed it on its own in at least a couple years, if at all (save an initial taste). Darker in color than the Bulleit: clear bourbon mahogany color. Rye on the nose, along with cherries, vanilla pound cake, light char, some coolness, and a noticeable dusty note. Creamy mouthfeel with some woody bitterness. This one is growing on me. Improves with air. Very gentle spice, with vanilla and lingering coolness appears again on the finish. The higher proof seems to help, although it is well integrated. No age statement. Bottled at 100 proof. Pleasant. The higher proof does make it cocktail-worthy. 3.25 on the Distiller scale. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in Glencairn glasses