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Templeton Rye

Al Capone

1 074

@markjedi1Review by @markjedi1

4th Jul 2020

1

  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Finish
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  • Balance
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  • Overall
    74

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The label says ‘prohibition era recipe’, in which they refer to the original Templeton Rye that was distilled in Iowa at the beginning of the previous century and was very popular in the speakeasies in Chicago and Kansas City. It is even said that this was Al Capone’s drink of choice. Today, however, it is produced at MGP (Midwest Grain Products) Indiana, a factory that produces for private labels. Typically American: a class action suit followed and in 2015 the producers had to remove the ‘prohibition’ line as well as ‘small batch’ from the label and add the fact that it was ‘distilled in Indiana’. The company then decided to actually build a Templeton Distillery in Iowa and the first own production of Templeton Rye is scheduled to hit the shelves in 2022. I will try an older – Indiana produced – bottle.

The nose is a mix of nuts, red licorice candy, candy floss, vanilla, marshmallow and brown bread. Not bad if it weren’t for that artificial note underneath that I can neither pinpoint nor appreciate.

The body is very light, almost watery. What a pity. Honeysweet on candied fruit and candy, upholstered with a bit of cloves, cinnamon and white pepper.

The finish is short and soft.

Probably one of the softest rye whiskies I have tried so far. No bite whatsoever. Very accessible but also very candy-like. I would have expected the legendary bootlegger Al Capone to have more taste. But then again, it probably tasted very different back then.

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