Woodinville Private Select Rye (Barrel# 8321) - Rare Bird 101 & Keg N Bottle Private Barrel Pick 750 ml

OVERVIEW:

I’ll just come right out and say it - you’re gonna be surprised at the quality of our Woodinville Single Barrel Rye. It’s fantastic. Just fantastic.

Now that Christmas and holiday travel is behind me, it’s time to sit down and write up some tasting notes. First up, our Woodinville Single Barrel Rye selection from earlier this year (available January 6th). Some of you might recall the livestream tasting, as author Clay Risen was in attendance to offer his opinion and expertise. Well, if you enjoyed that, get ready to join Clay for a Zoom on January 26th at 8:00 PM EST. We’ll be sipping this Woodinville rye and discussing his new book, American Rye: A Guide to the Nation’s Original Spirit.

BARREL DETAILS:

Woodinville Single Barrel Rye (barrel #8321) - 115.64 proof, 100% rye whiskey - non age stated (aged 5 years per the distillery) - selected by Russell’s Renegades with Clay Risen - distilled, aged, and bottled by Woodinville Whiskey Co., Woodinville, Wash.

Tasted neat in a Glencairn …

TASTING NOTES:  By David Jennings

(the rich copper color is worth noting, as it’s particularly dense for a 5-year rye) “hot” orange gummy, lemon-honey, spice drops, savory cherry, Beemans gum, sweet pastry dough; apple-cinnamon, citrus spice, zesty oak, clove, earthy herbal notes, faint mint; medium-long finish (spice is long in duration & comes in waves) w/ peppery Bit-O-Honey candy, cinnamon, sassafras candy, licorice, woody spice, hot & sweet ginger

Overall: Wow … Now that’s a rye with character! While I remember this whiskey being a standout on the selection night, I’m more than satisfied - shocked even - at how deliciously layered it is straight from the bottle. If only I had some of my sample left to compare. But no worries, I have plenty now. ;-)

This whiskey opens with a curious fruity note on the nose (not one I expect from a 100% rye). The best way to describe it is like an orange gummy that spent its life stuck in a Hot Tamales candy box. There’s a cherry note as well, but it’s more like cherry wood or singed cherry (not cherry candy or soda). Again, quite interesting for straight rye. The taste drives the citrus and zesty oak forward, with earthy and herbal notes dancing on the back palate. And the finish … at first you’d consider it medium/medium-long in length, but then, the old-fashioned candy spice notes come rolling back. And let me tell ya, it’s a ride!

Cheers!

dj