Dan Murphy’s International Whisky tasting night. Previously I had tasted the Gospel Solera Rye (distiller whisky taste #70 3.5/5) at another Dan Murphys tasting night. As is standard for my local store, tastings are blind. The nose on this instantly revealed itself to me as a gospel rye, I remembered this profile well from eight months ago. N: Thick, leathery rye and stewed plum that turns oily. Hints of mintyness, and slightly tannic with brown sugar. P: Very spice forward with a pepper heavy profile. Oily, and with a biscuity vanilla. Dark and caramelly. A little boring perhaps, which is surprising for so much rye spice. F: Short-medium. Minty-menthol freshness. Rye spice is a little cloying. Final orange spritz. Nose, very similar to the solera rye but leaning towards a oily and minty nose in the straight versus a more toffee and oozy solar. The palate is less inviting and enveloping here in the straight versus the solera and doesn’t grip me quite so well. The finish is less complex and less fragrant than the solera. Overall the straight and the solera are very similar, but if memory and my notes serve, the solera has more character and more to discover. This surprises me as the straight is notably more expensive than the solera (AUD 94.99 vs 79.99). In anywise, want Australian rye? Stick to Archie Rose Malted Rye. Distiller whisky taste #175 The Gospel Solera Rye: 3.5/5 The Gospel Straight Rye: 3.25/5