Of all the Master’s Keep expressions to date, Voyage has proven itself the most difficult to cover. I’m not exactly sure why that is. There are factors that surely play a role, such as a noteworthy price increase for the series and the decision to go w…
Of all the Master’s Keep expressions to date, Voyage has proven itself the most difficult to cover. I’m not exactly sure why that is. There are factors that surely play a role, such as a noteworthy price increase for the series and the decision to go with a rum finish this year, but neither I’d […]
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Tommyrotter Bourbon, from Tommyrotter Distillery in Buffalo, NY, is a blend of 3 MGP bourbons finished in cabernet barrels for 3 months. So what’s it like, and what about that name? Read on to find out!
The post Tommyrotter Bourbon Review appeared firs…
Tommyrotter Bourbon, from Tommyrotter Distillery in Buffalo, NY, is a blend of 3 MGP bourbons finished in cabernet barrels for 3 months. So what's it like, and what about that name? Read on to find out!
The post Tommyrotter Bourbon Review appeared first on Bourbon Obsessed℠ .
Pursuit United Rye Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak is one of the first two whiskeys of Pursuit Spirits new Oak Collection. It begins with the standard Pursuit United Rye mash bill, which is aged and then finished utilizing oak compliments from Innerstave. So, what’s it like? Read our review to find out!
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Please enjoy our Pursuit United Sherry Finished Rye review!
Pursuit United Rye Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak is one of the first two whiskeys of Pursuit Spirits new Oak Collection. It begins with the standard Pursuit United Rye mash bill, which is aged and then finished utilizing oak compliments from Innerstave. So, what’s it like? Read on to find out!
Pursuit United is the brand developed by Ryan Cecil and Kenny Coleman, creators of the Bourbon Pursuit podcast. I am a big fan of the podcast, and a regular listener, although that in no way affects my review. I purchased this bottle myself, so am viewing it from the eyes of a consumer, just like you.
Ryan and Kenny even started a second podcast about their journey. On it, they discuss everything that has gone into building their brand and their business, and the issues they have encountered. The podcast is aptly named “Behind The Pursuit: From Bourbon To Brand”. Thanks to all of the discussions on their two podcasts, there is relatively unheard of transparency behind Pursuit Spirits.
Pursuit United Bourbon Finished with Toasted American and French Oak and Pursuit United Rye Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak are the inaugural releases in their new Oak Collection. These are finished whiskeys which use a technique common in the wine industry, and starting to catch on in the whiskey industry. Rather than putting the whiskey in second barrels for finishing, they put the wood in the whiskey. That’s thanks to a company called Innerstave. This allows them much greater flexibility and control, and gives them virtually limitless finishing options to choose from. Ryan and Kenny have gone into detail about this process on both of their podcasts. It is not dissimilar to what Maker’s Mark does with added staves in their Wood Finishing Series releases.
The Pursuit United Rye Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak begins with their current rye mash bill which uses three different mash bills from two different states:
Sagamore Spirit (Maryland)
A: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
B: 52% Rye, 43% Corn, 5% Malted Barley
Bardstown Bourbon Company (Kentucky)
95% Rye
5% Malted Barley
The French Oak Sherry Finished rye is then finished using Sherry French Revere Oak cubes from Innerstave. Revere Oak is a French Oak seasoned for at least 36 months in Sonoma, CA. Using a fiber infusion technology discussed on Bourbon Pursuit Episode 385, Innerstave can replicate the characteristics of an aged sherry barrel.
Let’s taste it:
Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn
Nose: Fairly sweet with brown sugar, cloves & other rye spices; spearmint; vanilla; subtle citrus like tart orange peel; some burnt caramel in the back and a bit of dark cherry and purple grape juice; moderate alcoholTaste: Brown sugar, oak & some char, rye spices, subtle dark stone fruitsFinish: Fairly pronounced white pepper spice grows and lasts to the end, but some sweetness hangs on as well; subtle sherry overtones; dryness and barrel char are more apparent later on; there’s some cooling from the mint as well; long finish with a moderate burn.
This is a complex, flavorful rye. The sherry finish is quite subtle, but some dark fruit and sherry overtones are noticeable throughout. The French oak is likely adding a bit of additional spice as well. All the flavors do blend very nicely together to give a pleasant combination of spice, sweetness, citrus and dark fruits
When comparing Pursuit United Rye Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak to their unfinished rye, there are certainly many similarities which demonstrate the subtlety of the finish. The finish mellows some of the sharper rye flavors a bit, and of course brings with it some dark fruit. The burnt caramel is also more noticeable in the Sherry Finished Rye, especially when the two ryes are tasted side by side.
My personal feeling is that the sweeter finishes, like sherry, compliment ryes more than they do bourbons. Especially, since this finish is fairly subtle, that is definitely true here. I am a big fan of the original Pursuit United Rye, but there is a chance I may actually prefer the finished version. Have you tried either? What did you think?
We hope you have enjoyed our Pursuit United Sherry Finished Rye review! If you are interested in learning more about the unfinished rye, then check out our Pursuit United Rye Review!
Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us?
If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!
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15 Stars was started by father and son Rick and Ricky Johnson. I have enjoyed their prior releases, the 14 Year Timeless Reserve and the 7 & 15 Year Private Stock Bourbons. Like this release, they are all Kentucky Straight Bourbons. The 15 Stars Triple Cask is their first finished bourbon, and it uses cognac, port and rum casks. Find out more in our review!
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Please enjoy our 15 Stars Triple Cask Bourbon Review!
15 Stars is named in honor of Kentucky becoming the 15th state, and thus, the 15th star added to the American Flag. And 15th stripe, too, because that’s what they did back then until they realized that things would rapidly get out of hand. In fact, flags were pretty much a free for all until the Executive Order of President Taft of June 24, 1912 which prescribed proportions for the flag and for the organization of the stars.
15 Stars was started by father and son Rick and Ricky Johnson. I have enjoyed their prior releases, the 14 Year Timeless Reserve and the 7 & 15 Year Private Stock Bourbons. Like this release, they are all Kentucky Straight Bourbons. The 15 Stars Triple Cask is their first finished bourbon, and it uses cognac, port and rum casks.
Let’s taste it:
Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn
Nose: Apricot leather candy, cherry, concord grape juice, cedar, on a background of light rich caramel; hint of leather and smoke; rich and full; moderate alcoholTaste: Mildly sweet with apricot, cherry, grapes and raisins; subtle caramel with some dry oak and developing spiceFinish: Rapidly building capsaicin spice rises to the forefront, but the fruit and remnants of sweetness linger as well, later on to be joined by some dry oak, mild char and bit of leather. Very long finish with a moderate burn and a lasting warmth.
This is a delicious finished bourbon. I like a finish to be complimentary to the bourbon flavors, not overpower them. In this Triple Cask, Rick and Ricky certainly succeeded. There are definitely fruit flavors from the rum, cognac and port casks, but the flavors from the well aged bourbons are there too. Maybe the caramel and vanilla are a bit subdued, but the older barrel flavors like cedar, oak and a bit of leather are there in force, and provide a wonderful contrast to the fruit. The warmth would make this a perfect Winter sipper, but I’ll have no problem at all drinking it this Spring!
If you enjoy well-aged bourbon flavors and think a bit of fruit might make things even better, then 15 Stars Triple Cask Bourbon is definitely one to try! Cheers!
We hope you have enjoyed our 15 Stars Triple Cask Bourbon Review! Next, you’ll want to read our 15 Stars 7 & 15 Year Bourbon Review!
Thank you to 15 Stars for graciously supplying this bottle for our review!
Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!
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Kentucky Owl Mardi Gras Rye begins with an 11 year old straight rye whiskey. The rye was then put into barrels that previously held Bayou XO Mardi Gras Rum. The barrels were originally filled in March and then allowed to finish in Louisiana for a little over a year. If you think of Louisiana in the summertime, there’s quite a bit of heat and humidity which should have an interesting effect on the barrels, and it did! Learn more in our full review!
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Please enjoy our Kentucky Owl Mardi Gras Rye review!
Kentucky Owl Mardi Gras Rye begins with an 11 year old straight rye whiskey. The rye was then put into barrels that previously held Bayou XO Mardi Gras Rum. The barrels were originally filled in March and then allowed to finish in Louisiana for a little over a year. If you think of Louisiana in the summertime, there’s quite a bit of heat and humidity which should have an interesting effect on the barrels.
So what is Bayou Rum? The Bayou Rum Distillery is located in Lacassine, LA. They distill rum from locally grown sugar cane and molasses produced at the oldest operating sugar mill in the US. Their Bayou XO Mardi Gras rum is matured in bourbon barrels for up to 5 years and then finished for an extra year in Pedro Ximenez sherry barrels.
Let’s taste it:
Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn
Nose: Rye spices, including allspice; hint of wintergreen; fairly sweet, with ample brown sugar and fruit, as well as citrus like tangerines, sweet mandarins or clementines as well as some tart lime; there’s even some cherry and plum; lightly burnt but yet buttery caramel; pine and oak; some vanilla to top it off.Taste: Brown sugar, oak and caramel; fairly intense rye spices including nutmeg; butter-rum richness; wintergreenFinish: Noticeable capsaicin spice with a cooling spearmint that develops later on to soothe the heat, and then lingers. Rich, rum notes are noticeable in the background, blending with the capsaicin spice, lingering rye spices and mint. Some barrel char develops towards the end. Long finish. Relatively mild burn
The nose is rich and full, presumably due to the age of the rye and long finishing times. The rum is noticeable in the nose and brings a deep, rich, sweetness. That continues on into the taste and even lingers on in the finish. Overall, the flavors are very complex and the more I sip, the more that I notice.
The tasting notes offered by Kentucky Owl speak of lots of sweet butter, allspice and nutmeg as well as cinnamon. I often don’t get the flavors mentioned in the official notes, but I have to say that this time I do notice them, minus the cinnamon, and plus a whole bunch of other flavors which add to the complexity. The age of the rye brings along some barrel flavors, such as vanilla and oak which are somewhat atypical for a rye, since the majority on the market are much younger.
All in all, this is a delicious rye. However, it is difficult not to comment on the fairly hefty price tag of around $500. Nonetheless, for that price you do get a very tasty well aged rye finished in some top notch barrels. If you do have the opportunity to try this rye, I think you will enjoy it. Cheers!
We hope you have enjoyed our Kentucky Owl Mardi Gras Rye review!
Thank you to Kentucky Owl for graciously providing the sample for this review! Kentucky Owl also has whiskeys priced around $50. Read about them in our Kentucky Owl The Wiseman Rye Review and our Kentucky Owl The Wiseman Bourbon Review (2022)!
Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!
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Old Elk’s Cask Finishing Series had its first release back in 2021. For this year’s release, in addition to the return of some old favorites, Old Elk Distillery is releasing their first Rye Whiskey Finished in Barbados Rum Casks! What’s this Old Elk Rum Cask Finish rye like? Read our full review to find out!
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Please enjoy our Old Elk Rum Cask Finish Rye Review!
Old Elk’s Cask Finishing Series had its first release back in 2021. For this year’s release, in addition to the return of some old favorites, Old Elk Distillery is releasing their first Rye Whiskey Finished in Barbados Rum Casks!
The new Rum Cask Finish Rye begins with Old Elk’s 95/5 rye (95% rye, 5% malted barley, distilled in Indiana) matured at least 5 years. Then, it is finished in 14 year-old Barbados rum barrels for 2-5 months.
Let’s taste it:
Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn
Nose: Pine; citrus, like limes; rye spices; wintergreen; mild brown sugar sweetness, lightly burnt caramel; moderate alcoholTaste: Caramel, sweet brown sugar, touch of anise; rye spices are present up front, with cloves the dominant note and becoming more noticeable towards the end.Finish: The flavors continue but are overtaken by rapidly building capsaicin spice joined by some cooling spearmint. Baking spices, and particularly cloves, are there too. Some brown sugar sweetness hangs on til the end as well. Long finish with lingering flavors.
Interestingly, my first thoughts were “Where’s the rum?” But the more I thought about it, it is everywhere. It is adding some sweetness, richness and fullness through the entire pour, almost creating a background of rich butter rum flavors. And the more I sip on this whiskey, the more I kept thinking of butter rum Life Savers with added cloves, lime and a bit of mint all with a medium hot habanero spiced finish. The butter rum isn’t there at first, but it is definitely there the more I sip!
This is good. Very good. The 95/5 rye is certainly present throughout, and is unmistakable on the nose. However, it is complemented nicely by the rum every step of the way. If you are an Indiana 95/5 rye fan, and are looking for a little twist, you’ll definitely want to give this Old Elk Rum Cask Finish Rye a try! Cheers!
We hope you have enjoyed our Old Elk Rum Cask Finish Rye Review! If you would like to read about the other whiskeys in Old Elk’s Finishing Series, check out our Old Elk Cognac Cask Finish Bourbon Review and our Old Elk Port Cask Finish Bourbon Review!
Thank you to Old Elk Distillery for graciously providing this sample for our review!
Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!
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First, Wilderness Trail made some rye whiskey. After the barrels were dumped, maple syrup from Vermont aged in them. Then, after the syrup was dumped, the barrels were filled with 5 year old rye whiskey and aged another 6 months. An voila! We have Wilderness Trail’s first finished whiskey!! What’s it like? Read our Wilderness Trail Maple Barrel Finish Rye review and find out!
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Please enjoy our Wilderness Trail Maple Barrel Finish Rye Review!
First Wilderness Trail Distillery made some rye whiskey. After the barrels were dumped, maple syrup from Vermont aged in them. Then, after the syrup was dumped, the barrels were filled with 5 year old rye whiskey and aged another 6 months. And, voila! We have Wilderness Trail’s first finished whiskey!!
Let’s taste it:
Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn
Nose: Sweet, with brown sugar, dark fruits in the back like plums & dark cherries, orange citrus, rye spices & light cedar. Rich maple syrup becomes gradually more noticeable; moderate alcoholTaste: Interestingly, it tastes as it smells; the rye spices are there, mellowed a bit by the maple syrup.Finish: Black pepper spice builds in the long finish, but the sweetness lingers on; moderate burn
The effect that the maple syrup has on this whiskey is quite interesting. Sweetness and rye spices are the first things that hit me in the nose. However, that sweetness is not initially identifiable as maple syrup. Later on, the rich maple syrup flavors become more noticeable but blend very nicely and are not at all overpowering. The same things happens in the taste; the Wilderness Trail Rye flavors that I love are there, and the maple blends with them in a very complimentary way. Even the maple syrup will not temper the spice that builds in the finish, and that’s a good thing!
There are a LOT of finished whiskeys out there these days! For some distilleries, that is pretty much their focus. Others, not so much, but nonetheless, almost all have dipped a toe. Some people love them, some purists hate them, but I think by now, almost everyone has found at least one that they enjoy. For me, the perfect finished whiskey is one where the base spirit is complemented by the finish, not overpowered by it. While that seems simple, I have tasted many finished bourbons that completely lacked balance. So, in practice, getting that balance must be a lot more difficult than it sounds.
Personally, I think rye stands up to finishing better than bourbon because of its naturally spiciness. Whereas with bourbon, the flavors can be softer, especially if not at higher proof, and easily overpowered. Wilderness Trail Maple Barrel Finish Rye has achieved the perfect balance. The finish is totally complimentary to the rye whiskey. I won’t go quite as far as to say that if you didn’t know it was a finished whiskey you might just think it was a very sweet rye, but it’s not that far off. Well done, Macaulay!
What is your preference – finished ryes or finished bourbons? Cheers!
We hope you have enjoyed our Wilderness Trail Maple Barrel Finish Rye Review! Next, read about Wilderness Trail’s unfinished rye in our Wilderness Trail Small Batch Rye Review! Or if you want to learn more about the distillery itself, read our Wilderness Trail Distillery Review!
Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!
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A brief change of direction … Back in September, I had the pleasure of selecting a Westland American Single Malt Whiskey cask in collaboration with Malt Review and friends. It was an exciting tasting, with three distinct casks to consider. The first, c…
A brief change of direction … Back in September, I had the pleasure of selecting a Westland American Single Malt Whiskey cask in collaboration with Malt Review and friends. It was an exciting tasting, with three distinct casks to consider. The first, cask no. 4121, was the standard Westland five-malt recipe, though aged entirely in […]
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PRESS RELEASE: Clermont, KY (August 2, 2021) – Today, Basil Hayden® proudly announces the launch of Basil Hayden Toast, a super-premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and the newest addition to the award-winning Basil Hayden portfolio.
FULL PRESS RELEASE:
Four Gate Whiskey Company Announces Release #14
And Announces Distribution to Louisiana
