Review: Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye

Color (5%):  Medium amber, dark honey, hay hues. Medium thinning at the edges. 3/5

Nose (10%):  You can smell this one from 5 feet away. It is potent, and the rye is sharp. There are notes of pine and a good amount of oak. Crisp caramel sugars dance with apple and toffee. The rye is there; you get some of that deli rye bread scent. 8/10

Palate (20%): Big dried fruit notes on the back end. It has lots of raisin characteristics, almost like a port wine. There's a menthol character, and with the high alcohol, it almost feels like Vic's on your tongue. That sounds worse than it is. It has a slight green tea feel. Lots of green and purple. Very dry, with little sugar and tiny honey notes before the botanicals and spice kick in. 14/20

Finish (10%): The alcohol is definitely there. The menthol and botanical notes fade into a bit of black pepper spice and toasted barley. Medium length. 7/10

Overall Impression and Harmony (30%): This took some time, but I don't mind it. There's some complexity, but I prefer a bit mellow for an over-proof whiskey. This booze is hot. This brand makes some great bourbon, but this is pretty rough. I wouldn't call it anything too special. The age statement is pretty standard, and I want it to have more oak and char. It's got lots of flavors but needs a real sense of harmony. 21/30

Retry on Ice (25%): The menthol stays the dominant note here. A bit more fruit starts to poke its head out. There are notes of citrus. I still want more oak. There is a mild improvement from neat, but not much really changes. 20/25

Total Ranking: 73% Legendary, Amazing, Great, Good, Fair, Average, Tolerable, Swill

Estimated Fair Price: $42

Actual Price: $55

Conclusion: This is okay. As I said, the bourbon these guys make is excellent, but this is a rough rye. It's an experiment that they slapped their branding unto. There's an upcharge for the name brand. There isn't much of a market for overproof rye whiskeys. Knob Creek or Russell's Reserve / Wild Turkey beat this guy in my book, especially for a rocks serve. It's worth a try if it's available, but this will probably sit on my shelf for a while. 

Fact Sheet: 

ABV: 54.9% (varies batch to batch)

Mashbill: A blend of the Willett high rye mash bill (74% rye, 11% corn, 15% malted barley) with the Willett low rye mash bill (51% rye, 34% corn, 15% malted barley)

Aged 4 years

Distilled at Willett Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky 

Review: Wild Turkey Rye 101

Color (5%):  Dark golden amber, thin edges, rich, well-aged. 5/5

Nose (10%): high alcohol evaporation for sure. I'm diving in deep to warm myself up. HHonestly bland flavor notes at a first impression. Lightly roasted apple pie notes. Honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, pie crust, light brown sugar, butterscotch, but not so sweet, fairly middle of the road. Nothing intense other than the initial booze buzz, vin du table. 6/10

Palate (20%): That's pretty good for the heat. Mild numbing heat, a big hit in the back of the throat, hard to do a session with but not bad as a slow sipper kissing the tongue. Not for glugging. Certainly suitable for mixing. It is a potent spike but rather monotone. 14/20

Finish (10%): The heat is long. There's a great flavor at the start, but the heat lingers too long on the first sip. 6/10

Overall Impression and Harmony (30%): Not something I'll be waiting for and savoring as a treat. That said, it does serve a function. It's a mixer, and certain notes can hold up in a highball or boulevardier / black Manhattan. I don't imagine any awards coming for it, but it has a home as a mid-tier spirit at the right price. 19/30

Retry on Ice (25%): This does ease the painful heat of the first impression. As ice always does. Oddly, the burning finish lingers longer. Something about polyphenols, I'm sure. It's still an excellent mixer, but it lacks any nuance that I look for in a sipping whiskey or even a highball with soda. 16/25

Total Ranking: 66% Legendary, Amazing, Great, Good, Fair, Average, Tolerable, Swill

Estimated Fair Price: $29

Actual Price: $21

Conclusion: It's still above average for some higher-proof stuff I've had. Definitely worth it for the money. But this is a mixing whiskey. It will not break out of that tier. Get the soda water and the Mountain Dew. It's also good in cocktails, as previously mentioned. It could be better, but it's good enough for bulk batches. It's a budget choice but a good one.

Fact Sheet: Straight rye

Distillery Location: Kentucky

ABV: 50.5%

Age Statement: aged in New Oak