Treaty Oak Distilling Red Handed Rye Whiskey

A little background

Treaty Oak Distilling was founded in 2006 near Austin TX and like many operations just getting off the ground, they’ve chosen to source whiskey to bottle and sell while their distillate ages (I have no problem with sourced whiskey if what is in the bottle is worth drinking).  The 10-year-old Red Handed Rye was sourced from the Schenley Distillery in Canada with a mash bill of 53% rye, 39% corn, and 8% malted barley. It is bottled at 100 Proof and carries a retail price of around $65.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn.)

Color

Straw

Nose

Earthy red clay, rose water, and ginger.  

Palate

Very thin with ginger bread cookies, melon, and green apples. 

Finish

White pepper, clove, and honeydew fade quickly. 

In closing

There were many elements about this rye whiskey that really surprised me. Where I normally get a delicious burnt salted caramel/brown sugar note from higher aged rye, here I got nothing of the sort.  In fact, the time in the barrel seemed to only mute the bright rye bite that I enjoy without adding anything in return. For the cost of Red Handed Rye and what you get in return, it seems that purchasing a few bottles of younger Bottled in Bond rye might make more sense, at least for me. We’re looking forward to Treaty Oak’s own distilled and have high hope it’ll have the extra spark that this release is missing.

NOTE: The sample used for this review was provided at no cost courtesy of Bardstown Bourbon Company.  We thank them for the sample and for allowing us to review this whiskey!