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Rittenhouse Rye Bottled in Bond
Rye — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed
November 14, 2018 (edited August 7, 2019)
Just picked up a bottle of this for the first time in a couple of years. Thought it was a good time to re-review since my earlier review was done when I was fairly new to the brown spirit game.
Nose: Hay, Leather, Old Oak. Like standing in an old barn or tack room. Keep exploring to pull out notes of Light vanilla and just a hint of dill way in the back. After it sits for a few minutes a custardy note starts to evolve.
Neat in a Glencairn: This one is Oakier than I remember. It enters with the Hay and leather. Just a hint of vanilla/caramel sweetness. Dusty and dry. That great musty oak note that I find in a lot of Heaven Hill presents in the mid-palate. It manages to be oaky without being bitter or tannic. No (or very minimal) dill that a lot of people find off-putting in some of the higher rye mash bills. A pleasant warming sensation paired with a peppery tingle on the finish. The musty oak note coats and lingers along with a little pepper spice.
Splash: A couple drops of water really enhances both nose and palate. It shoves the rye notes to the back and gives the nose a fall-esque vibe. Butterscotch and nutmeg. It gives it a creamier mouthfeel with the butterscotch, vanilla and nutmeg becoming the predominant notes complimented by the heavy oak.
Verdict: I guess I just needed a reminder of how much I liked this one. Of the ryes that I have sampled, this is a solid second place behind the High West Double Rye. The High West has a lot of notes that you don't think would pair well together (think an improv jazz session) while the Rittenhouse hits a few well placed complimentary chords (think a meat and potatoes garage band crunching out an AC/DC cover tune). Both are equally enjoyable depending on your mood.
26.0
USD
per
Bottle
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Rittenhouse is my house rye. I always have some on hand. Its always available and reasonably priced in Maryland.
It's on deck, along with the Sazerac and Bulleit ryes my wife just bought me. Now that it's getting cold, I'll open one...maybe this one.
@Scott_E ...The McKenna is plentiful here, although it does get scarce occasionally since it got Bourbon of the Year. One of the few good things about living in a control state is that the prices don't jump based on demand unless the distillery actually raises the price it stays the same. Still $30 here.
@Scott_E Henry McK has also gone up up in price. What was under $30 is closer to $40. 33% up.
@PBMichiganWolverine Rittenhouse is pretty accessible where I am on LI. Oddly enough, Henry McK, not so accessible.
@BDanner these stupid individual state laws are so outdated...
@PBMichiganWolverine ...N Carolina. We are a control state and while I'm not 100% sure how allocation works, it usually shows up about 4 times a year and never sits on the shelf for very long. In fact the bottle that I picked up was the last on the shelf. Some counties may get more than we do, but I don't know. One positive sign is that it was just given a permanent Code Number (it has always had a temporary code which you can identify by it starting with a zero) so maybe that means that it is going to be more available moving forward. However, a check of the NC Warehouse shows zero in stock, so as of right now, all that the state has is out on the shelves.
@BDanner it’s highly allocated in your area? Where do you live? Dozens on the shelf here in north NJ
@Scott_E @PBMichiganWolverine ...Agree on all points. This one is pretty heavily allocated in my area. It never seems to show up when I'm in a rye mood. Funny that you mention the Henry McK. The oak note I get is the same on both. I always assumed it was the 10 year age that brought it out in the Henry McK, but now I'm thinking it may be the varietal of corn they use or the yeast strain that imparts that note. Unless of course the Rittenhouse is significantly older than the required 4yr, but it seems that most of that stock would be headed to the Pikesville.
@Scott_E yeah—this is like the rye version of Henry McKenna BiB 10 yr. Can’t believe they’ve not raised prices yet
@BDanner Nice, comprehensive review. I am a huge fan of this rye for several reasons: quality, proof, price. Tough to beat on all three fronts with anything else.