THE CONTENDERS:
Rittenhouse Rye 100 proof 21 YO (freshly opened single barrel - barrel No. 26, bottle No. 82), Black Maple Hill 95 proof 18 YO (bottle from cask No. R70), and High West 92 proof 21 YO (batch 3, bottle 611).
RR Nose is leather and oak, rye opens slowly as does a bit of citrus fruit.........very subdued
BMH Nose is nuts, leather, oak, hints of ripe fruit, and light spice
HW Nose is corn, light fruit, spice, and oak
RR Taste is spicy, softly sweet, drying toward the back of the mouth.......all the while almost cognac like in its approach, the alcohol is quiet.
BMH is sweeter, a bit less spicy than the RR, not quite as dry...........but just as delicate.
HW is sweeter still, spice is softer than RR and BMH, and it seems even more delicate and cognac-like than either of the others.
CONCLUSION:
These are three first rate whiskies to my palate. They exhibit that sublety that comes with well done aging. The rye spice has been reduced greatly from its long association with the wood. But none of these whiskies is too woody or too tannic to my palate.............the wood owns none of them. For those times when a Rye Whiskey that is barely a rye whiskey and when it plays footsie with ultra aged bourbon (and with cognac) either of these is superb.
Do not come here if you are prone to consider value first (nothing wrong with that whatsoever) or expect a rye to pull your pants down.........won't happen with these fellows. If slow sipping and subtle whiskey impress you as they do me..............these fellows won't disappoint. I have well over $300 in these boys and have no regrets that I spent it...........even knowing full well how much excellent whiskey I could have bought with that money.