Peerless Straight Rye Whiskey (24 months old)

Sometimes things just cost too dang much for me. Not for everyone. I understand that there are people out there who will drop $100 on a bottle of whiskey with little to no hesitation. Being a freelance designer and a dog sitter, I am not one of those people. However, I will splurge if the whiskey is worth it.

When Peerless first came to Minnesota, I received a note from a reader letting me know that they’d be trying it out and would be reporting back to me. They then reported back that they were very disappointed with the purchase and expected more from a whiskey that cost as much as this one did. For that reason, I never took a look at the brand.

Now when I travel, I tend to purchase a bottle for the hotel, apartment, campsite, etc. Usually I’m there long enough that I’ll grab a full sized one (or two…). However, if I run out, I might take a look at the 200 and 375 ml bottles. And it just so happened that this fall I was doing that while staying in Kentucky. While I was looking I noticed the bottle of Peerless Rye you see above. I wasn’t going to spend over $100 for a full bottle, but I could probably swing the $29 that Liquor Barn was asking in order to see if we should be giving this juice another look.

Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company is a small distillery in Downtown Louisville (120 N. 10th Street Louisville, KY). It’s across the freeway ramps from the Frazier History Museum and the Louisville Slugger Museum. The distillery is run by father and son team Corky and Carson Taylor, descendants of the original makers of Peerless Whiskey. The distillery was built in 2014 (even regaining the family’s original DSP number) and started distilling the following year. Their first whiskey release was a two year old rye that was released in 2017. Since then they have released older ryes (current photos on their website do not have an age statement) and bourbons in both single barrel and small batch forms. Many of which have garnered awards.

The bottle I happened to pick up is still the 2-year old one. Guessing that people aren’t really looking to spend $30 on a 200 mL bottle too often. But let’s see how it tastes anyway.

Peerless Straight Rye Whiskey

Purchase Info: $28.99 for a 200 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $7.25

Details: Aged 2 years. 54.05% ABV.

Nose: Store-brand cola, wintergreen, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Mouth: Spicy cinnamon and cool wintergreen lead off to be followed by notes of store-brand cola and brown sugar.

Finish: Medium to long and warm on the finish. Store-brand cola is the predominant note with the familiar wintergreen supporting it.

Thoughts: I like this, but it is hard to disassociate the juice from the price on this one. Quality-wise, I'd rank this to whiskeys that can be had for $50 to $75. So yeah, it's quite tasty. Unfortunately this sells at my local Total Wine for about $125. Or by my estimation $50 to $75 too high, even including the “craft tax.” I bought this small bottle solely for review purposes. I doubt that I'll be convinced to pay what is being asked for a full bottle. Especially if it is the two-year-old whiskey, like this recently purchased bottle was. I will however, be happy to try out a non-age stated 200 mL when/if that is what my local stores carry.

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Jack Daniel's Tennessee Tasters' Selection: Barrel Proof Rye, Spring 2019

So we got our first snow today. First measurable snow that is. Super light and fluffy. As I absolutely hate snow, I protested the hateful white stuff by using a leaf blower to clear the driveway. Much to my neighbor’s amusement. Though I did see him cleaning up with one after I went in the house.

It does help to make a pretty picture though.

In honor of winter officially landing in my Minnesota suburb, I’ve decided that tonight should feature a whiskey that will really warm up the ol’ insides. Tonight’s whiskey is another one of the Tennessee Taster’s Selections that I purchased on my September visit to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery. This time, we are looking at the Barrel Proof Rye whiskey they released in Spring 2019. These bottles are only sold through the Jack Daniel’s Distillery Bottle Shop and select liquor stores in Tennessee. As we discussed the last time we looked at one of these, the Tennessee Tasters’s Selections are limited, experimental releases that take a Jack Daniel’s product and play with it a bit. In this case they took barrels of their Rye whiskey and didn’t add any water to them. And let me tell you, roughly 127° proof will certainly help turn back the winter blues.

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Tasters' Selection: Barrel Proof Rye

Purchase Info: $34.24 for a 375 mL bottle at the White Rabbit Bottle Shop, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Lynchburg, TN

Price per Drink (50 ML): $4.60

Details: 63.8% ABV. Selection#4. Released Spring 2011. Grain Bill: 70% Rye, 18% Corn, and 12% Malted Barley. Matured in the uppermost levels of barrel house #1-05.

Nose: Chocolate, tobacco, caramel, and allspice.

Mouth: Spicy. Tobacco, clove, cinnamon, ginger, caramel, and chocolate.

Finish: Long and warm. Lingering notes of mint, ginger, and black tea.

Thoughts: Very hot and spicy. I really like this. Even though I haven't tasted everything I brought back from the distillery, I'm thinking this might be my favorite thing I bought that day. It is so good! I bought two 375mL bottles. I wish I'd picked up even more. If you are in southeastern Tennessee, this is worth the detour to the distillery bottle shop.

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Chattanooga Whiskey 99 Rye

I really like being some place I haven’t been before. It doesn’t matter if it’s a new place to live or just a new place to visit. I guess I just like updating my internal map with new location information. I like new places so much so that I used to joke that I was pretty much ready to move to a new apartment/house/etc right after I’d figured out the optimum way to drive to the grocery store. And I was only mostly joking. Which makes it a bit odd that I go back to Kentucky at least once per year.

I guess some places are better than novelty. But that doesn’t stop me from tacking on a visit to somewhere new when I go back for a visit. This year I tacked on Chattanooga, TN. It seems like a nice enough area. Though like many places the hand-painted political signs start showing up just about the time you leave town. The house I was staying in was within walking distances of a couple breweries, many bars, and one distillery. And you better believe I made sure to schedule a tour there.

I’d had the two Tennessee High Malt Bourbons from Chattanooga Whiskey before. In fact, I mentioned when I reviewed those bourbons that “if I am in Chattanooga I'll be stopping in for a visit.” And so I did. It’s a nice short tour that ends with a tasting of a few of their whiskies. Including tonight’s.

Chattanooga Whiskey 99 Rye is a rye whiskey made from a mash bill of Malted Rye, Yellow Corn, Caramel Malted Rye, and Chocolate Malted Rye. It is aged in 53 gallon barrels and is bottled unfiltered. The bottle I picked up was a little over 3 years old. Let’s see how it tastes.

Chattanooga Whiskey 99 Rye

Purchase Info: $39.99 for a 750 mL bottle at the Chattanooga Whiskey gift shop, Chattanooga, TN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.67

Details: 49.5% ABV. Mash bill: Malted Rye, Yellow Corn, Caramel Malted Rye, and Chocolate Malted Rye. Fermentation: 7 days. Cooperage: 53-gallon charred oak barrels. Unfiltered. Age: 3 years old. Batch size: 6-10 barrels. Batch: 21H13R.

Nose: Cinnamon, cedar boughs, and mint.

Mouth: Spicy cinnamon, cedar, mint, and dry oak.

Finish: Sweet. Like Icy Hot, this is both warm and cool on the finish. Notes of cinnamon, black tea, mint, and Rye malt.

Thoughts: I am on the record as not being a fan of Whiskeys that use malted rye. This whiskey makes me rethink the absoluteness of that position. I really like this! I'm thinking that the addition of rye malts roasted to the caramel and chocolate levels is at least partly the cause of that. This still has the rye malt flavors, but it isn't as sharp and funky as others I've had. It's sweet, savory, spicy, and just really good. So much so that I wish I'd bought two bottles.

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Ezra Brooks Single Barrel Store Picks: Distiller's Collection and Cask Strength

And we’re back! I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving! I know that mine was fantastic. It started out with a ton of dogs in my house. On Thanksgiving itself we had our traditional pan of Lasagna (neither my wife or I like turkey in it’s domesticated form), home made pumpkin pie made from pie pumpkin from our garden, and of course a glass or two of Wild Turkey. As the weekend progressed and the number of dogs began to dwindle, my beloved Minnesota Golden Gophers walloped our hated rival the Wisconsin Badgers in an upset to take possession of Paul Bunyan’s Axe.

It was a glorious weekend.

Of course as the weekend started to draw to a close, I took a look at the calendar to see what was on the docket for tastings this week. I’d been not so patiently waiting for this pair of Ezra Brooks store picks’ turn to come since I picked them up. See, I’d found this pair, and their brethren with the Rebel label, while wandering around Tennessee and Kentucky. I’d had a vague recollection of reading about a single barrel store pick brand on the market, but that’s all it was just a vague recollection. So when I saw that there were two different labels for sale at the various stores, I figured it would be best to buy them both and figure it out when I got home.

So once I got home, I reached out to my PR contact for Lux Row and asked what was going on. According to the information he passed along, there are two main differences between these two labels. The first is the proof. Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection store picks are bottled at 107° proof while Ezra Brooks Cask Strength store picks are bottled at 120° proof. The other difference is in how the picks occurred. Distiller’s Collection picks are allocated and are done via samples sent to the retailer. There are no in-person barrel picks for these barrels. On the other hand, Ezra Brooks Cask Strength picks are not allocated and are only done at Lux Row Distillery.

So what each label tells you, the consumer, is whether your retailer went to the distillery to pick the barrel or whether it was sent to them via samples. I’m sure there is a reason for this that I am not seeing since I do not work in either a distillery or a liquor store.

So let’s check out a couple of store picks. Both from Kentucky.

Ezra Brooks Single Barrel Store Picks: Distiller's Collection and Cask Strength

Distiller's Collection: Total Wine, KY PJ #2

Purchase Info: $35.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Louisville, KY

Price per drink (50 mL): $2.40

Details: 53.5% ABV. Barrel #: 7384651. Barrel filled: 5/4/2016

Nose: Leads with oak notes. Beyond that are notes of nutmeg, spearmint, and vanilla.

Mouth: Nutty with notes of mint, nutmeg, and oak.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Notes of mint, caramel, and nutmeg.

Cask Strength: Liquor Barn #3

Purchase Info: $52.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Liquor Barn, Danville, KY

Price per drink (50 mL): $3.53

Details: 60% ABV. Barrel #: 7544620. Barrel filled: 11/15/2016.

Nose: Vanilla, honey, orange julius, and baking spice.

Mouth: Spicy warmth with notes of baking spice, mint, citrus, and cocoa.

Finish: Spicy, warm, and of medium length- Notes of cinnamon and chocolate.

Thoughts: These are both very good. Glad I stumbled across both of them. The Total Wine bottle is sweeter whereas the Liquor Barn bottle is much more baking spice forward. If trying to define the major difference between the two, I'd say that the Liquor Barn bottle is "Beam-ier" than the Total Wine (Jim Beam and Heaven Hill being the suppliers for Lux Row as I learned from Cheif Marketing Officer and Lux family member on my tour of the facility). Saying that they are both in the Ezra Brooks flavor profile. I like them both. A lot. I am hoping my local stores can get in on these programs soon.

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Wyoming Whiskey Outryder (2021 Edition)

I’d like to thank Verde Brand Communications for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Just in time for the holiday gift rush to begin in earnest, I’ve got one last sample to feature. This time, the 2021 release of Outryder from Wyoming Whiskey. I covered the origin story of Outryder when I received a sample of the 2020 release so let’s jump right into talking about the liquid itself instead of the story behind it.

Quoting the press release:

Following the popularity of its first two iterations of Outryder, in 2016 and 2017, Wyoming Whiskey came to terms with the finite amount of 2011 whiskey stock used to create the initial batches. In order to carry on the legacy of this exceptional whiskey, Wyoming Whiskey has begun to marry its 10-year-old “almost rye” whiskies (48% rye, 40% corn, 12% malt) and bourbon (68% corn, 20% rye, 12% malt), with two whiskies distilled in early 2017, which are considered a “true rye” (51% rye, 37% corn, 12% malt) and bourbon (68% corn, 20% rye, 12% malt).

I mean, that sounds like a pretty good blend. So how does it taste?

Wyoming Whiskey Outryder, 2021 edition

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $74.99 and was available nationwide beginning in November 2021.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.00

Details: 50% ABV. A blend of three Wyoming Whiskeys the original “almost rye,” a rye, and a bourbon.

Nose: Caramel, cinnamon, black tea, mint, and a muted orange note.

Mouth: Brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, mint, and black tea.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Notes of cinnamon and mint.

Thoughts: This is a tasty one. I like it. It has a lot of "brown" baking notes. Brown sugar, baking spices, etc. The herbal mint and black tea notes play nicely with the baking notes. I'm a fan. Price is a little high for my tastes, but this is a limited release from a small producer, so you are going to have that.

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Baker’s Exclusive Selection. Limited Edition Release

I’d like to thank the folks at Beam Suntory and their PR firms for providing a review sample with no strings attached.

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We are still working our way through the sample backlog tonight so why don’t we jump right in.

Back in 2019, Baker’s Bourbon transitioned from a Small Batch to a Single Barrel Product. I’ve always been a fan of Baker’s. In fact, I’d say that it was probably my favorite of the Small Batch Collection. And the new single barrel version continued that even though I don’t buy it often as Knob Creek is so much less expensive in my neck of the woods. So imagine my delight when Beam Suntory announced that they had released a Limited Edition version of Baker’s Bourbon. This one is aged 11 years, 8 months. Sounded pretty good to me.

Let’s see how it tastes though.

Baker’s Exclusive Selection

Purchase Price: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $99.99.

Price per Drink (50 ml): $6.67

Details: 11 years, 8 months old. 53.5% ABV.

Nose: Leather, cinnamon, red fruit, and oak.

Mouth: Spicy cinnamon, leather, brown sugar, red fruits, and oak.

Finish: Medium in heat and length. Lingering notes of cinnamon spice and oak.

Thoughts: As I said above, I'm a big fan of Baker's Bourbon. And this? Well, this is a very nice Baker's Selection. It hits all the notes I've always enjoyed in a pour of Baker's. It's sweet, spicy, and bold. If I knew a Baker's fan that I wanted to get a gift for, I can see myself seeking this out. For myself, the Standard Baker's Single Barrel release would be "good enough." Baker’s Exclusive Selection is really good, but I can't see myself paying the $40 premium for it unless it was a gift.

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Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye 2021

I’d like to thank the folks at Beam Suntory and their PR firms for providing a review sample with no strings attached.

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It is getting cold here in Minnesota. So cold that when I go for a walk, I’ve started wearing pants instead of shorts. I haven’t yet graduated to a coat, much to the chagrin of my many elderly neighbors who are already wearing gloves outside. To be honest, for as much as I really hate winter, I seem to have been born in the right place for it. It just takes me a while to actually get cold. For example, I seldom wear shoes, even outside, unless I’ll be out there for more than 20 minutes or so or the temperature is below zero Fahrenheit.

That has also gotten me comments from the neighbors as I go to get the mail.

In the spirit of cold weather, I thought it would be fun to take a look at a sample that has recently landed on my desk from Canada. At least originally. For the second year running, BeamSuntory has released a limited edition bottling of Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye Whiskey. From the press release:

Made in Calgary, Alberta, Alberta® Premium Cask Strength Rye is crafted from 100% Canadian prairie rye grains grown by local farmers and nutrient-dense, glacier-fed spring water from the famed Rocky Mountains. The result is a perfectly balanced liquid that reflects the brand's unique natural surroundings, Canadian heritage, and expert whisky craftsmanship. 

"Following the success of Alberta® Premium Cask Strength Rye's debut in the U.S. last year, we are thrilled to offer stateside whisky drinkers the limited 2021 release of our award-winning whisky," said George Teichroeb, General Manager of Alberta Distillers. "When Alberta Premium debuted in 1958, we were one of the first distilleries to create a true 100% rye whisky, and this cask strength rye is the culmination of our hard work and dedication to crafting exceptional rye whisky." 

I really liked last year’s release. And I was lucky enough to find a bottle recently on a trip to rural Wisconsin. But, since it was late last month that I found it, I had no idea if I had picked up the 2020 or 2021 release. So I reached out to the PR folks to see if there were any visual differences between the two releases. I like to know what release of a limited edition I’m buying and I thought you might as well. Here is what I found out:

• The label of the two releases is the same with two minor design differences. 2020 had three standing barrels as a design element and 2021 has a single barrel on its side in the same location. And the typeface has changed from a sans-serif to a serifed font. Otherwise, they look the same.

• The ABV range of the 2020 release was 63.9% ABV to 66% ABV and the ABV range of the 2021 release is wider at 63% ABV to 67% ABV.

That last one didn’t really help me as the ABV on the bottle I picked up was 66%, which was within both sets of ranges. In either case, I was able to determine by the design elements that I had, indeed, picked up a 2020 release. So now I will be on the lookout for 2021.

Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye 2021

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $74.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.00

Details: 63.7% ABV

Nose: Notes of cinnamon red hots candies, cedar, and black tea.

Month: Follows the nose with spicy cinnamon candies, cedar, mint, and black tea.

Finish: Long and warm with notes of floral mint and cinnamon candies.

Thoughts: This is good. I like it. I don't like it quite as much as I liked the 2020 release, though the differences are minor enough that I wouldn’t notice if I didn’t try them side by side. 2021 is a touch spicier and really focuses on the spicy cinnamon notes. 2020 had a bit more depth and complexity to it. Makes me happy that I found a bottle of 2020 in Northern Wisconsin last month, but also makes me want to grab a 2021 as well.

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Jack Daniel's 2021 Single Barrel Special Release: Coy Hill High Proof

I’d like to thank the folks at Jack Daniel’s for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

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Last week I got to sit in on a fun virtual tasting with the Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller for their new 2021 Single Barrel Special Release: Coy Hill High Proof. It is an interesting tasting and what follows are some of the notes my wife and I took during the presentation.

• Coy Hill is the name of the highest elevation on the Jack Daniel’s property with aging warehouses on it. This whiskey came from two of those warehouses, number 8 and 13. The retail product will list which warehouse of the two warehouses the whiskey was aged in.

• The typical Jack Daniel’s warehouse has 7 floors, each with 3 levels. The top floor has just enough space between the ceiling and the top rack to squeeze another level of barrels. They call this the “Buzzard’s Roost.” This product came exclusively from the Buzzard’s Roost.

• Barrel entry dates for this product were August 2, 3, and 17 of 2012. They were bottled in late September 2021. Meaning this product is 9 years old, though that is not on the label. All nine of those years were spent in the Buzzard’s Roost as they do not move or rotate barrels.

• The retail product ranges from 137.4° proof to 148.3° proof. They had barrels in the batch that came in proofed over 160° proof, but the high alcohol content was causing leakage as the alcohol expanded in the head space and pushed the cork out. Most of these barrels are still aging until they figure out what to do with them. (For the record, typical barrel proofs at this age are probably in the mid-130s.)

And now some quotes from the Press Release that I found interesting:

• “Coy Hill High Proof is made from Jack Daniel’s classic 80% corn, 12% malted barley and 8% rye grain bill.”

• “The limited offering whiskey is bottled at proof points ranging from 137.4 up to 148.3 and marks the highest proof whiskey ever released from the Jack Daniel Distillery.”

• “The Coy Hill High Proof is all about pushing the limit for single barrel maturation to create one of our boldest, most innovative whiskeys we have ever released,” says Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Chris Fletcher. “It highlights one of the unique attributes of the Jack Daniel Distillery – the dry air of the highest floors of the barrel houses – and the amazing impact it has on whiskey making.”

• “Due to the high barrel strength, the bottle should remain upright at all times
  unless being poured into a glass for drinking in a responsible manner.”

But enough of that, let’s get on to the tasting notes.

Jack Daniel's 2021 Single Barrel Special Release: Coy Hill High Proof

Purchase Info: This sample was sent by Jack Daniel’s for the purposes of the virtual tasting and for review. The Suggested Retail Price is $70 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 73.65% ABV

Nose: Oak notes of leather and tobacco, spearmint, wintergreen, vanilla, and baking spices.

Mouth: Very warm and sweet. Initial strong toffee notes followed by vanilla, mint, and almond.

Finish: Long and warm with notes of almond, mint, toffee, and baking spice.

Thoughts: This might have the darkest color of any whiskey I’ve ever reviewed. It is also a very tasty whiskey. It is quite a bit too hot for my taste when consumed neat. Luckily for me, when I have a glass of whiskey for enjoyment, I like to have a small piece of ice in higher-proof ones. Well, this one gets a large piece of ice. And it takes it well. There is still some heat to the drink. The flavor softens a bit and brings the oak notes more to the forefront. And the finish is still fairly long. Overall, I really like this one.

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