Welcome to World Whisky time again, where we’re diving into the world of Pike Creek 10 year old whisky. Crafted by Corby Spirit and Wine Limited, this Canadian dram boasts an exciting twist—it’s finished in rum barrels, adding a distinctive flair to its character.
Category: Rye Whiskey Page 1 of 3
This bottle of Pikesville 110 Proof Straight Rye whiskey has been in my cupboard for a couple of years after the hubby brought it back from a trip to the UK. I have been in the mood for something more spicy after the sweetness of the last couple of weeks, so a rye whiskey is perfect.
Pikesville Rye whiskey was initially produced in Maryland by L. Winand & Brothers Distillery, established in 1895. The brand went through several changes of ownership and survived Prohibition. The last batch of rye whiskey was produced in Maryland in 1972 by the Majestic Distilling Corporation.
In 1972 Majestic Distilling closed down. However, they left enough filled barrels, and the brand continued until 1982. In 1982, Heaven Hill bought the brand. Heaven Hill released the Pikesville Rye in 2015, and it is currently produced at the Bernheim Distillery.
Also Read: Michter’s Single Barrel Rye
Heaven Hill has an extensive whiskey and bourbon brand collection, and the Evan Williams, Rittenhouse and Henry McKenna brands fall under their banner. They are the biggest privately owned whiskey company in the USA.
The mash bill for the Pikesville Straight Rye whiskey is 51% rye, 39% corn and 10% malted barley. Compared to the other rye whiskies I have tried, this is the bare minimum rye to quality as a rye whiskey. The Jack Daniel’s Rye and the Bulleit Rye are considerably higher with 70% and 95%, respectively.
Another different aspect is the higher ABV when looking at the other rye releases. Sazerac and Bulleit Rye has a 45% ABV while the Pikesville rye is at 55% (110 proof).
Pikesville 110 Proof Straight Rye Whiskey Review
The Pikeville Rye is a 6 year old release.
REGION: USA
ABV: 55%
COLOUR: Pale copper
NOSE: The nose is subtle with hints of grassy rye, brown sugar, oak, pepper and baking spices. Hints of cherry and liquorice in the background. A whiff of alcohol on the first sniff, so let it stand a few minutes.
PALATE: The Pikesville Straight Rye whiskey starts quite spicy with notes of cloves, pepper and rye spices, but then comes red fruits and cherries with toasted oak. Maple syrup sweetness balances out the spicy notes. Not as spicy or complex as some of the other rye releases I have tried, but it is relatable and easy to drink. A few drops of water cool down the alcohol heat.
FINISH: Medium length with notes of vanilla, cinnamon spice and bits of drying oak. A faint dark chocolate-covered cherry note makes me want to go back to try this rye again.
RATING: EXCELLENT
What a drinkable bottle of rye whiskey. Not quite as spicy as I expected, which is a good thing. I have a sweeter palate, and some rye releases can quickly become too spicy. It does need a few minutes to breathe and a few drops of water to cool down the alcohol heat, but this is an impressive rye.
The Pikesville Straight Rye whiskey retail for around $58. I will pick up another bottle when I travel again.
Also Read: Pike Creek 10 year old Whisky
Rye whiskey has become more commonplace in SA, and over the last couple of years, more and more rye releases have made it to our shores. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Rye whiskey is the latest brand to bring its rye release here.
In 2021, the Jack Daniel’s Rye reached our shores, and from May 2022, the variety is even more varied. Woodford Reserve is well known for its delicious Distiller’s Select and Double Oaked bourbon releases that have regular features on my social media feed.
The distillery is situated in Woodford County, Kentucky. With a rich history dating back to 1812, Elijah Pepper was the first to begin distillation on the site. The site and distillery changed hands various times during the following years until it was sold to the Brown Forman Corporation.
Also Read: Pikesville Rye Whiskey
The Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Rye whiskey was launched in 2015 as the third permanent addition to the brand’s core range. Woodford Reserve Rye uses a pre-prohibition style rye ratio to pay homage to history’s original rye whiskeys.
The legal requirement for a straight rye is 51%, so the rye content is slightly higher. The Woodford Reserve Rye mash bill is 53% rye, 33% corn, and 14% malt. It has quite a high corn ration compared to the Jack Daniel’s Rye which has a mash bill of 70% rye,18% corn and 12% malted barley. It is a NAS release.
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Review
COUNTRY: USA
ABV: 45.2%
COLOUR: Polished copper
NOSE: Caramel sweetness, fresh green orchid fruit, cereal and toasted wood. The traditional rye spice notes with hints of black pepper. Elegant and soft.
PALATE: Rye spices mixed with fresh fruit, green grass and black pepper. Bits of honey and bourbon vanilla with a butterscotch note. Toasted oak, green herbs with bits of orange. Medium body that is soft and oily.
Water softens the rye spice notes, and it is delicious without water. Not the boldest rye, but an outstanding balance between the rye spice and sweet fruity notes.
FINISH: Medium length with oaky notes, pepper and caramel sweetness. Something green in the background.
RATING: EXCELLENT
However, it is not the most complex or bold dram; it is still a tremendously drinkable rye whiskey. Mellower and more approachable than the Sazerac or the Mitchters Rye whiskey.
It is delicious, and I think it will perfectly suit the sweeter South African palate. It has an outstanding balance between the rye notes and the sweet fruity elements.
The Woodford Rye whiskey is great rye to use for cocktails. It is available now at selected stores and retail for around R450.
I have done a side by side comparison between the Woodford Rye and the Bulleit Rye to see how they stack up against each other. Playing around, I have also done a side by side comparison with the Jack Daniel’s Rye to see which one would be my favourite.
Also Read: Pike Creek 10 year old Whisky
Sample disclosure: I received this whisky from the Woodford Reserve team. The review and tasting notes are my own honest, fair and independent thoughts about the rye whisky.
It is time for a rye whiskey again, and this week I feature Michter’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye whiskey. The distillery was founded by John Shenk in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, in 1753 and known as Shenk’s. In the mid-1800s, Pennsylvania Dutchman Abraham Bomberger bought the distillery, and the name changed to Bomberger’s.
After changing hands many times during the subsequent years, it landed up in the hands of Louis Forman, who co-owned the distillery with Charles Everett Beam. Louis created the Michter’s brand name by combining his sons’ names, Michael and Peter.
Sadly, the distillery closed in 1989 due to bankruptcy. After filing for the abandoned Michter’s trademark in 1997, Joseph Magliocco and Richard Newman resurrected the Michter’s brand. The brand re-launched as a Kentucky-sourced brand in the early 2000s.
Every Michter’s Rye is from a single barrel, so there might be taste differences between the different bottlings. I have a bottle from barrel 16F471.
The Michter’s Rye is made from select American rye grain that is sheared to maximize flavour extraction from the grain.
Michter’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye whiskey has a mash bill of at least 51% rye and includes some corn and malted barley. It is a NAS release. Other releases from this brand include the Michter’s Sour Mash whiskey and the Michter’s bourbon.
Also Read: Arbiki Highland Rye
Michter’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey Review
COUNTRY: USA
ABV: 42.4%
COLOUR: Caramel honey
NOSE: Rich and enticing. Butterscotch, dry wood, spicy rye notes with bits of creamy vanilla and a hint of something fruity. Big, bold and just lovely.
PALATE: An outstanding balance of spicy and sweet. Cinnamon and pepper followed by vanilla and sweet cherries. Bits of orange with dry oak and rye spices. Adding water brings more of the cherry notes forward. Creamy and smooth, and I had to pour another glass. This bottle will probably not see the end of winter.
FINISH: Long and warming with hints of peppercorns, tobacco and cinnamon.
RATING: EXCELLENT
WOW! What a delicious, creamy rye! It is bold and easy to drink. I am not the biggest rye whiskey fan, but this will be on rotation during the winter. The balance between the spice and the sweetness just worked faultlessly.
It has enough sweetness for my sweet palate without being overly sugary. John loved it too, which means the spicy notes worked for his more spicy preference. Just lovely.
Now to get my hands on the Michter’s bourbon to also add to my collection.
Also Read: JP Sizer’s Deluxe Whisky
Today I look at another Rye release, Jack Daniel’s Rye whiskey. What a roller coaster we have had in South Africa with covid and lock down. When SA went into lock down level 5 in March 2020, the sale of alcohol was banned. A whole industry came to a sudden standstill.
Three months later, SA moved to lock down level 2 and liquor sales were allowed again. Items stuck in port was permitted entry and wine farms and distilleries started operating again.
South Africa’s covid figures increased substantially, and then one Sunday evening, the President suddenly banned alcohol sales again. All plans I had to try new drams came to a grinding halt. But the long wait is over, and I can try some new releases again.
Just before lock down, I saw some social media posts about Jack Daniel’s rye becoming available in SA. But I could not find a bottle at the time. However, now that I can shop again, I found a bottle and I was fortunate to have a chat to Bradley Watson about this release on IGTV.
The Jack Daniel’s Rye whisky was released in September 2017 as a new addition to the standard Jack Daniel’s lineup. It is now widely available in South Africa and retails for around R320. Jack Daniel’s Rye is produced using a mash bill of 70% rye,18% corn and 12% malted barley.
It follows the same Lincoln County Process that makes Tennessee whiskey unique. It is a NAS release, and it also has a really good ABV.
Also Read: Gentleman Jack vs Woodford Reserve bourbon
Jack Daniel’s Rye Whiskey Review
COUNTRY: USA
ABV: 45%
COLOUR: Light amber
NOSE: Tropical banana, hints of dark chocolate and toasted oak. Cinnamon and sweetness.
PALATE: Freshly baked banana bread, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Drying cinnamon and nutmeg with hints of chocolate sweetness. Bits of oily wood and vanilla.
FINISH: Black pepper and spicy cinnamon and oak spices.
RATING: EXCELLENT
The Jack Daniel’s Rye Tennessee whiskey has a medium body and an oily mouthfeel. The oak spices and cinnamon is captured by the oily wood for a warming finish. Not the most complex whiskey, but very drinkable. It reminds me of a traditional bourbon blended with a shot of grain whisky and a shot of more conventional rye.
It has the tropical fruit notes of grain whisky, balanced with the spicy rye notes with bits of bourbon vanilla and oak. However, it is softer and more refined than more traditional rye releases that I have tried in the past. Delicious and unique.
Bradley mentioned that it would work wonderfully in a boulevardier cocktail and also a Bloody Mary. The best food pairing is with steak or with dark chocolate. That is a pairing I can get excited about. If you have not tried this yet, go out and grab a bottle. I did a side by side comparison between the Rye and Old No 7 to see how they differ and you can read it by following the link.
Also Read: Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey