Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey

Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-in-Bond

Cost: $28 at a local liquor store (South Carolina)

Age: NAS

Proof: 100 proof

Mash Bill: 51% rye/37% corn/12% malted barley

Reviewed neat in plastic wine glass…#beachmode.

Appearance: Light brown sugar color with thick slow legs.

Nose: Astringent with a definite earthiness, cedar, cardamom, and dark chocolate. It’s not a real nice bouquet, but I’m staring at a beautiful sunset while sipping this one. So life’s good.

Palate: Buttery! Real buttery. Some barrel char and caramel. BIG mouth feel. Very oily.

Finish: There’s a medium hug here. There is a lingering of oak and caramel sweetness during the short finish.

Rating: 5.1/10

Overall: I bought this bottle to strictly use for some Old Fashioneds for a week at the beach just before the colder weather is upon us. While I brought better things to sip on, I figured I’d get a pour of this and give it a review while watching the sun go down over a North Carolina sound. And while it’s certainly not blowing me away, and I probably won’t necessarily use it as a sipper again, it wasn’t bad! Maybe it’s the view. Maybe it’s the smell of the salt air. Maybe it’s the sound of waves crashing on the beach behind me. Maybe it’s the rental property’s plastic wine glass. Or, maybe it was the 3 Old Fashioneds prior to sipping this girl making me more generous, but it was decent even as a sipper. As far as making Old Fashioneds, it doesn’t disappoint. While I still have other rye whiskies that I like for Old Fashioneds better (Sazerac Rye and Michter’s), this made a solid cocktail bringing down the sweetness with it’s earthiness. It did reinforce to me that Heaven Hill can’t make anything wrong. While Sazerac Rye will still hold the crown as my go to for Old Fashioneds, Rittenhouse Rye BiB is a couple dollars cheaper, 10 proof points higher, and easier to find in most markets. For less than $30, you really can’t go wrong with this.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect