Catoctin Creek Rabble Rouser 4 YO Rye

It is tough for young distilleries, particularly if they choose to make whiskey. Somehow they have to pay the bills while waiting their multi-years for whisk(e)y to mature

Catoctin Creek Distillery in Purcellville, Virginia, has clawed its way into prosperity partially by virtue of the quality of its spirits, which have won many awards, and, to my way of thinking, even more by the charm and persistence of its proprietors Scott and Becky Harris. The Harris' sponsor multiple music events and whiskey dinners in order to court the locals into buying local whiskey. And charm and seduce the locals they have. People in Loudon County, Virginia, and across the Eastern Seaboard of the US have been very willing to lay out 2 or 3 times the price of established rye whiskeys in order to buy Catoctin Creek Rye Whiskey aged less than one year. So...when Catoctin Creek released its very first 4 year old straight rye whiskey, the whiskey was sold out within an hour's time. My very resourceful sister, however, managed to buy a bottle of it. The reviewed bottle of Catoctin Creek Rabble Rouser Straight Rye Whiskey is from Batch # 615J1, is 4 years old, and is bottled at 50% ABV

Colour: medium to dark, as you would expect 4 yo American whiskey to be

Nose: fruity, much fruitier than most Catoctin Creek products...the usual plums, black cherries, and currants; plenty of spice, especially black pepper. There are some baking spices under the blanket, too...cassia, cloves, nutmeg. With water, the flavours are bundled, but still pleasant. This is a good rye nose. Score: 22/25 points

Taste: now you're talking! This has lots of medium pitched dark fruits, with a little bass pitched dark fruit, BUT, with a ton of black pepper. Imagine Van Winkle 13 yo Family Reserve Rye, slightly reduced in intensity, with a TONNE (yes, UK spelling) of black pepper. This isn't quite Van Winkle Rye, but it is very good. Water brings out wood flavours, which were not very noticeable previously. Score: 22.5/25 points

Finish: quite the fruity/spicy finish...long, and stays just the same. Very nice flavours. Water focuses attention on the wood flavours and the lower pitches from black pepper. Better without water. Score: 22.5/25 points

Balance: quite a good dry/spicy balance, in the style that is typical of US Straight Rye Whiskey. Score: 22/25 points

Total Sequential Score: 89 points

Strength: strong flavours throughout. Score: 23.5/25 points

Quality: very good quality throughout. Score: 22/25 points

Variety: finally, in Catoctin Creek Rye, we have the full range of flavours possible. Score: 22/25 points

Harmony: good to very good harmony throughout. Score: 21.5/25 points

Total Non-Sequential Score: 89 points

Comment: I reviewed Van Winkle 13 YO Family Reserve Rye at 89 points also. My bottle of Van Winkle Rye evolved into a 93 point whiskey with a lot of air exposure. It remains to be seen whether Rabble Rouser will improve from an 89 point base

Certainly this is by far the best rye I have had from Catoctin Creek, though the occasional batch of lower proof or cask strengh younger Roundstone Rye may sometimes come close. These batches of Catoctin Creek whiskey show a lot of variation, from what I've seen. I am excited at the prospect that Catoctin Creek will continue to have products to sell at 4 years old, and beyond. By established distillery's standards Catoctin Creek products, and those of most microdistillers, are expensive to purchase. Be aware of this substantial batch variation when you make the decision about laying down your money to buy a bottle. Bottom line: this would be a great rye to own, but it would be very difficult for anyone, even locals, to get a bottle. This is the creme de la creme rye of a promising young microdistillery