Spirit Tasting
Rye & Rye Cocktails
February 10, 2022
5 PM – 7 PM
Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond Straight Rye Whiskey 100 proof
One of the classic examples of this spirit, Rittenhouse is a 4-plus-year-old, 100 proof bottled-in-bond rye. The winner of all sorts of accolades and awards, the Heaven Hill-produced Rittenhouse Rye Whisky (the company’s spelling) recently updated its packaging with a “1930s inspired” label. (Fun fact: the brand was known as Rittenhouse Square Rye at the time.)
The nose is racy — iconically “rye” — filled with baking spices but also crushed red pepper notes that hint at heat. The palate is initially a bit hot — a drop of water or a few minutes are all it takes to let the vapors dissipate — but it quickly settles down to reveal layers of fun stuff. Gingerbread, orange peel, creme brulee, dark chocolate, light wood oils… all of these elements combine to create a really lush, pretty whole with just the right amount of wood. With a near-perfect flavor profile and just the right mix of bite and sweetness on the finish, Rittenhouse continues to hit it out of the park, and at these prices, it’s no wonder that many stores limit how many bottles you can buy.
McClintock Bootjack Rye Whiskey
The Bootjack Rye is a love letter to Maryland Rye Whiskey of the past. The carefully selected mash bill is made from heirloom, non-GMO traditional varietals of rye, red wheat and corn painstakingly stone ground in house using a historic stone burr mill. This high-rye, wheated whiskey is a beautiful blend of high-quality, historic ingredients made with cutting edge distilling practices.
Wigle Kilted Cask American Rye 92 proof
Milled, fermented, and distilled in Pittsburgh from a blend of regionally grown malted rye and malted barley, American Rye Kilted Cask was matured in new charred American white oak barrels for more than 3 years before an extended rest of nearly 2 years in peaty Scotch seasoned quarter casks. These casks previously aged the famous heavily peated Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, made for the last 200 years on the island coastline of Islay, Scotland.