Willett Rye 5 year old

Burnt red color, medium body

A thing or two about Rye:

1. The original American whiskey, long since replaced in popularity by bourbon ( less than or equal to 51% corn in the mash bill)
2. Generally spicier than other grains
3. A real shit-kicker, and rapidly growing in pure expressions

So I did a shot and a proper tasting session

Shot

Nose: Pepper, mint.

Palate: Herbal, savory. Strong with spices, cinnamon.

Finish: Oak. Waxy, very long. A little sweet and hot.

Glass

Nose: Again, pepper and mint (separately) as well as camphor, bound within a pleasant strength that suggests a homemade approach.

Palate: Beefy, iron tasting. Heavy flavors. A touch bitter, but evenly sweet and spicy on the lips. Heavily spiced.

Finish: Rum, tobacco leaf. Oak. It's so obviously rye in its hotness and spiciness. Bright and invigorating. Same structure as bourbon, but a different flavor, a relative with a different personality - short tempered, perhaps.

Additional Notes:
- Rye can be very complex. One of the most unique experiences I ever had with whiskey was adding water to some Jefferson's Rye, and I was rewarded with the distinct aroma of toasted marshmallows
- Willett (Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, LTD.) also makes one of my favorite bourbons. Look for a bottle shaped like a pot still.