Barrell Rye Cask Strength

From a bar's selection in Scottsdale, AZ. 133.68 proof. Smells herbal and fruity with papaya, lemongrass, basil, pineapple, hay, lemon pepper, brown sugar, and unbuttered biscuit. A pleasant rye grain funk appears as it sits. Ethanol is almost undetectable, which is surprising considering the proof. Taste is quite lively, starting with clover honey and green apple then moving to sourdough bread, allspice, vanilla, pine, ginger, rye spice, and hops (!) Finish is sharp and hot with pink peppercorn, tropical fruits like kiwi, guava, papaya, and bitter oak that creates significant dryness. Texture is oily, but rougher and grainier than I wanted for the flavor profile and as dry as a sun-bleached cow skull in the Arizona desert. Significant issues here. Hmm. I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. While I enjoyed the fruity notes which are similar to Barrell Seagrass, I ultimately found this too hot, sharp, and rough to be truly enjoyable and it will be a struggle to finish. At $80, it is absolutely not a rebuy and I can think of literally fifty other ryes I would prefer. A letdown.