On the nose, the whiskey came up with some heat, but had a nice, chocolatey depth and an appealing doughiness. A distinctive sourness came on strong at first taste, followed by the chocolate depth and a rich, oaky finish. The whiskey had a notably round and rich mouthfeel, and overall presented a very robust character when sipped neat and with a few drops of water.

At the end of the tasting, once brands were revealed to the panelists, we were all a bit surprised by how the bonded Rittenhouse had performed. On the nose, two panelists described this whiskey as nondescript — a little sourness, a little sweetness, but overall, as one put it, “it doesn’t give anything up.” I’ve learned over that past several years that the best way to answer the question “What are your favorite whiskies?” is to relate my favorite whisk(e)y experiences. Visiting Scotland with my sons, blending a bottle of our own Springbank Single Malt, watching them totally geek out over the experience, there’s no whisky experience in recent memory as rewarding as that. Verdict: A good, but nondescript rye. One panelist summed it up perfectly: “If this one is expensive, then shame on it. If it’s an inexpensive rye, then they’re doing a great justice. It has no finish, and [a good finish] is what I want out of a quality whiskey, but everything else about it is good.” RittenhouseTown Historic District, a historic area in Philadelphia surrounding the first paper mill erected in British Colonial America

Rittenhouse Rye – Review

I am therefore approaching this as though I were once again at the beginning of my whiskey exploration. I’m not comparing it to the all-time greats in my personal whiskey hall of fame, those monolithic legends that I have had the good fortune to try (mostly due to the kindness of others) over the past few years. I’ll be evaluating this on its own merits, but also on its own terms: as a (hopefully) reasonably high-quality bargain rye to be recommended to novices and longtime enthusiasts alike. Here goes nothing… Rittenhouse Rye – Review On the palate, the whiskey came through a little clearer, with a more robust, peppery spiciness followed by a sourdough-like flavor and a scant touch of sweetness, and a crisp, medium finish. I no longer overlook the affordable, readily available whiskies. They’re what got me started to begin with, and I owe the producers a world of thanks for producing such reliable quality over so many years. If we’re bored with that, maybe we need to re-evaluate why we’re doing this to begin with. At nearly 120 proof, the Traverse City Whiskey Co. Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey is a stiff sipper, yet the sweetness provides a suitable counter to the high alcohol content. YES, YES, YES, YES, YES. I completely understand your commentary. I find that I gain very little from winery visits, distillery tours, sherry bodega visits any more. Any tour guide has to treat you as a beginner. The only way you can make them interested enough to talk to you on the next level is to ask difficult questions or make your knowledge apparent. This can work sometimes but it can be a bit intimidating for others on the tour. I have done this in sherry and wine tours in Spain and Italy and it has resulted in being allowed to hang around after the tour has finished to sample some of the better stuff. Usually they just want you to be intoxicated enough to blow your money in the shop.

Late last fall, Heaven Hill rolled out a limited edition, longer-aged rye that would capitalize on some of the prestige the bonded version had captured. Aged 21 years and bottled at 100 proof, this whiskey is billed as a one-time, very limited bottling. Unlike most whiskies, this single-barrel edition is not chill-filtered. For rye whiskey (the only type my better half enjoys), I could not dip into the seven year Wilderness Trail rye a friend generously found for me. I had to make do with a “shelfer,” so I chose the subject of today’s review: Rittenhouse Rye. Laura Jacinta Rittenhouse (1841–1911), American temperance worker, author, poet, orphanage manager, club woman

Rittenhouse Straight Rye Bottled-In-Bond Review

In Single Malt Scotch, you have Ardbeg 10, Glendronach 12, Bunnhabhain 12, etc., there are so many.