Sazerac Rye

This bottle has been open for over 8 months. Most of that time it has been at or below the half way mark.

Nose: Sharp rye and sweet corn notes. A little molasses and caramel covered Granny Smith apples. After nosing the Bulleit this seems more like a heavy ryed bourbon then a “rye.” This is much more sweet and sour, but also quite thin on the nose as a whole. Cherries, oak, cinnamon, hint of lemon, liquorish and spices: it reminds me of the old town store at the Cracker Barrel . . . crazy. I actually really like this nose. Not an over powering rye, but a nice balance of Rye and corn in harmony. Now a little bit of smoke. However, I don’t like the lack of power, but I have to admit I really enjoy nosing this.

Taste: Sweet on the front then is dries out on the pallet. A little sour and tartness but not bad. Sweet apple cider mixing well with rye. Smooth actually. This is my favorite part.

Finish: Nice rye wave of spices and wood. A medium blip of power that quickly settles into a nice low burn. This is spicy with plenty of nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper. Decent length for the price and the ABV.

Complexity, Balance: Not as much complexity as I remember. Decent balance between the sour and the sweet. I would put it above a number of bourbons for the price.

Aesthetic experience: I really love the look of this bottle: my favorite Rye bottle ever. It just looks like the old west. I also love that they are doing it at 45% ABV. I just wish it had an age statement . . . and came at cask strength . . . oh, I guess that is Thomas H. Handy!

Conclusion: This was the first rye I tried several years ago when I wanted to make a Sazerac cocktail (a great drink in its own right). I love having a bottle of this around . . . but the more I get to know rye . . . I realize this isn't really a classic example. Still, it tastes much better with some oxidization.

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