Rittenhouse Straight Rye Review

“Tears in Heaven”

Country: USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill, Kentucky

Brand: Rittenhouse Straight Rye

Type: Straight Rye Whiskey
Age: NAS (Said To Be Around 4 Years)

ABV: 40% 
Whisky Review # 594
Buying Advice: 😑 It's Okay if you're on a tight Budget. A Bit Young and Rough though. Good for Mixing! 

Colour: Dark Amber

Nose: Light and Young. Initially, I found some Varnish but it disappears over time. Both the Rye and Corn are noticeable. I also find Biscuits, Honey, Vanilla, Yeast, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Fresh Oak, Malt, Dusty Road, Compost, light Citrus, light Ginger, Cinnamon, Mint and some Floral notes that I can't exactly identify. It's not bad, certainly not at this Price Level. But there's an unfinished feel to this Rittenhouse. It's all a bit Young and Nervous. The Alcohol is not integrated which is no surprise at this age.  

Palate: The Arrival is a bit on the Thin side. On the Palate, this Rittenhouse is Bitter-Sweet with Rye, Corn, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, light Citrus, Grass and Earth, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Gin infused with Herbs.  

Finish: On the Short side, Bitter, Herbal and Yeasty. Dry in the end with a light Metallic Off-Note. I find Rye, Dusty Road, Dirty Earth, Yeast, light Licorice, light Cinnamon, light Clove, Menthol, Pepper, Herbal Tea and a hint of Cocoa Powder (Toddy).

Due to the fact that I merely had a small sample at my disposal, I only tasted this Whiskey neat.

Rating: 80

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20

General Remarks: Before the Prohibition (1920-1933), Rye Whiskey was mainly produced in Pennsylvania and Maryland. After the Prohibition Rye Whiskey practically disappeared but in the last 10 years or so it has become popular again. In the USA the law prescribes that Rye Whiskey is made from a Mash Bill that contains at least 51% Rye. The other ingredients are usually corn and a bit of Malted Barley. It is distilled to no more than 80% ABV and matures in New and Charred American White Oak barrels. Rye Whiskey that matured for at least 2 years and was not blended may be called Straight. Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whiskey is nowadays produced at the Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown and is usually sold in the 18-25 US Dollar Range (February 2017). There's also a 100 Proof Bonded Rittenhouse Straight Rye available. I assume that the higher ABV will enhance the overall Aroma and Flavour Profile. Let's see if I can find a sample somewhere.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion: If you consider the price level, the Rittenhouse Straight Rye 80 Proof is not bad. It's very hard to find decent Scotch at this Price Level. On the other hand there's a Young and Edgy feel to it. An unfinished product if you will. I only had a small sample so I didn't try it out but I can imagine that this Rye would cool down over a bit of Ice. You can sip it neat but it's Borderline. The Finish is the worst part of this Whiskey and I didn't like the light Metallic Off-Note. If you're on a tight Budget, the Rittenhouse Straight Rye is certainly an option, especially if you use it for mixing purposes. I do feel however that the 100 Proof would be a big step forward.   

Jan van den Ende                                                                February 6, 2017

Willett Straight Rye Review

Country: USA

Brand: Willett 

Type: Straight Rye Whiskey 

Age: 6 Years

ABV: 55 %

Sample Provided By: Derek, USA. Thanks!  

Date: 25/07/2013

Colour: Mahogany

Nose: Strong Aromas. The Wood and Pencil Shavings are very prominent but not yet as dominant as in for instance the Noah's Mill 15 Years. There are also lots of Vanilla, Cinnamon, Buttered Rye Bread, Glue and Chewing Gum Mint. But also some Fruity tones. Sometimes I got Orange but at other moments I thought I recognised Banana, Peach, Watermelon or Cherries. A bit of Sweet Corn and Pine as well. The Alcohol is strong but does not really sting. The Nose is pleasant and balanced but not as "addictive" as Templeton Rye.

Palate: Sweet but not Innocent. Holy Cow! Powerful stuff with Mint leading the way, followed by Oak, Rye, Vanilla, Citrus, Pepper, Candies, Cinnamon and Salted Nuts.

Finish: Long and Strong with Mint, Sugared Almonds, Rye Spices, Oak, Salt, Ginger flavoured Candies, Orange Peel and Cinnamon.

With an ABV of 55% I recommend to add a bit of Water if you want to have an entertaining evening with a bottle of Willett Straight Rye. An Ice Cube or two will do just fine as well. But almost always when I taste Whisky or Bourbon or Rye I feel I'm betraying the Spirit when adding Water. The Body's still there but the Soul has gone elsewhere. That's also the case here.

Rating: 85.5

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21  Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 21.5

General Remarks: Independent Bottler Kentucky Bourbon Distillers Ltd. (KBD) aka the Willett Distilling Company is family owned and located in Bardstown, Kentucky. Although they have a small production facility that started distilling in 2012, most of their Brand Names like Johnny Drum, Old Bardstown, Willett, Noah's Mill and Rowan's Creek (just to name a few) are distilled elsewhere, most likely mainly at nearby Heaven Hill Distillery. The Willett Straight Rye we are tasting today is a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey (Barrel # 56) matured during 6 years in New White Oak and hand-bottled from the Barrel at the Willett Family Estate Distillery Farm. It is priced at around 50 US Dollars. By law, Rye Whiskey must be distilled from at least 51% Rye. The other ingredients are usually Corn and Malted Barley. I would suspect that the Rye content in the Mash Bill is much higher in this case.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: This is a well-crafted strong Rye Whiskey, characterised by Wood and Vanilla on the Nose and strong Mint and Ginger flavours on the Palate and in the Finish. It's unusually cold in Sao Paulo today (July 24) with 8 degrees Celsius at 21.30 in the evening. So a strong shot of Willett's Straight Rye was just what the doctor ordered!

Jan van den Ende                                                                        July 2013

Jim Beam Rye Review

Country: USA

Brand: Jim Beam Rye

Type: Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 

Age: NAS (Said to be: 4 Years)

ABV: 40 %

Sample Provided By: Derek, USA. Thanks!  

Date: 28/06/2013

Colour: Golden

Nose: Quite different from the Templeton Rye Small Batch I nosed earlier. Sure, the Rye is there and so are Saw Dust and Spices like Cloves, Pepper and Nutmeg. But I also get Corn, Cinnamon, Maraschino Cherries, Charred Oak, Glue, Vanilla, Orange, Lemon, Apple and Tangerine. A hint of Leather and Wood Polish as well. Jim Beam Rye tries to combine the Best of Both Worlds. The result is not unpleasant but a bit flat.

Palate: The Palate basically follows the Nose with lots of Spices like Black Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves and Cinnamon, accompanied by Honey, Citrus, Mint, Rye-Bread, Maraschino Cherries, Tangerine, Vanilla, Caramel and Oak. Some characteristics of the Jim Beam Bourbon have been preserved.

Finish: Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet with Cherries, Tangerine, Vanilla, Mint, Pepper and Cinnamon.

I added a bit of Water and the Nose gets more Vanilla and Maple Syrup while the Rye and Spices retreat. The Palate and Finish become a bit too thin and slightly bitter. Better sip it neat or enjoy it on the Rocks.

Rating: 81.5

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20  Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks: Jim Beam Rye is produced in Clermont, Kentucky. It's America's Top Selling Rye Whiskey. It is made with 51% Rye in the Mash bill and matures for 4 years in freshly Charred White Oak Barrels. It's sold at around 15-25 US Dollars in the USA and at around 30 US Dollars in Europe.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Imagine for a moment that for instance Templeton Rye Small Batch and Knob Creek Small Batch 9 years are American Single Malts. Following this image, the Jim Beam Rye would then be an American Blended Whiskey. I think you get the picture this way. I can see that Jim Beam Rye is the USA's Top Selling Rye Whiskey. It has a bit of everything and therefore will probably please lots of consumers. In my opinion however Jim Beam Rye, while quite enjoyable on the Rocks, lacks sufficient complexity and depth to be considered a sipping Whiskey. 

Jan van den Ende                                                                                 June 2013