Pikesville Rye 100 Proof, 6 yo ($50)
This has got a nice, spicy nose with just a touch of honey in the background. The palate starts with bold rye spice and then develops some sweetness. It's a spice bomb with mint, clove and ginger. The finish is sweet and spicy with lots of ginger, but then it turns medicinal and bitter. Oh, and don't add water, it brings out bananas and other, weird fruity notes.
I was hoping to be blown away by this, but it was not to be. It's not at all bad (though the finish is a bit out of balance), but I found it underwhelming. That beings aid, it will make a fine addition to the ryes on the shelf today, and it's good to see a higher proof rye offering.
Just tried this at a trade event. An industry source says that it is an older (6 year plus) and higher proof (110) version of the Rittenhouse Rye formulation. It does indeed have a spicy profile, and to my palate at least, a lingering warm finish. It also meshed well in a Manhattan. This is going to be an addition to my liquor cabinet.
ReplyDeleteYes, despite the Rittenhouse in Pennsylvania style and Pikesville is MD style ad copy, they're all the same stuff.
ReplyDeleteIf its "all the same stuff" why not just buy two bottles of Rittenhouse BIB?
ReplyDeleteGiven the lukewarm review, a sexier label and 10 extra proof points isn't enough to justify double the price!
portwood
I would agree, portwood. It seems to be easier for a company to introduce a new product at a much higher price point rather than significantly raising the price of an existing product (even if the new product is not much different from the existing product). This is a steep premium for a few extra proof points and a couple of extra years in the barrel. I won't be buying a bottle at $50 - too many good ryes available for less.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to trying a sample from someone else's bottle; from what I've seen here and elsewhere - at $50 I expect I would be disappointed (especially when for $10 you can pick up barrel proof 7 or 8yr ryes).
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you didn't detect heavy mineral or medicine is a bonus in my book. I'm like you; I can pick out the things I don't like in whiskey more readily than I can those that I do.
ReplyDeleteThe rye to beat for me right now is the reissued WT 101 in the Liter bottles which just showed up here under $30 ea. Its a bit of a patience tester at first with the typical uninviting phenolic nose stuffs, but after that it stomps on Ritt 100 BiB in terms of flavor and complexity.
Funky Tape, I haven't had WT 101 since it came back. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteGary, where on earth can you find barrel proof 7 and 8 year old ryes for $10?
Sorry - meant to say "for $10 more", meaning for $60 you can find barrel proof 7 and 8 yr old ryes :)
ReplyDeleteBelieve me - if I had an idea of where to snag them for $10 - I'd never put that on the internet (but would certainly let some friends know!)
Well, that makes more sense Gary. I thought you had discovered a rye goldmine of some sort.
ReplyDeleteCorsair’s Ryemageddon Kicks Ass. Kapow! Right In your face. $40 round these parts.
ReplyDeleteDo you know, if the standard bottling (3YO?) of Pikesville will be continued?
ReplyDeleteJim Murray gives the Pikesville 110 Rye 97,5 points in his 2016 'Whisky Bible' and names it 'Second Finest Whisky in the Word'.
ReplyDeleteSo if it evers gets to be on sale in Germany, where I live, I'll be going for it !