A little background
Pikesville Rye is a Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey from Heaven Hill from a mash of 51% Rye, 39% Corn, and 10% Malted Barley. It is aged at least 6 years and is bottled at 110⁰. Retail price is around $50.
(Tasted net from a Glencairn.)
Color in the glass
Medium Copper
Nose
Red Licorice, sweet orange oil, dusty straw, candied apple, baking spices. A nice ethanol bite letting you know it’s 55% ABV.
Palate
There is a lot going on here with orange soda (even with an effervescent sensation on the front of the tongue), allspice, ginger, clove, vanilla, sorghum syrup, and just a hint of dill on the tail end.
Finish
This really sticks to the cheeks. There is more barrel influence on the finish than I noticed on the palate. The fruits dissipate leaving spice, vanilla, and caramel.
In closing
This is a really good rye whiskey with a sturdy back bone of rye spice and oak sweetness. We are in an interesting place with several brands now able to release higher proof aged Kentucky Straight Rye whiskey, but most of these are single barrel expressions (so expect variance) or at a premium price point. So, with that in mind it is nice to see Heaven Hill continue to release consistently high-quality rye whiskey batches that most whiskey drinkers can afford to keep on their bar.
Pikesville Rye
110 Proof
The Good
- Available
- Competitive Price Point
- Complex
The Bad
- Would Benefit From Some Darker Notes on the Nose
