Coppersea Rye PX finish

Nose: Initially vegetal but not overly funky. Then rye spice and herbs emerge, particularly dill, alongside mint and orange. A faint wood note is present, but not strong. The PX is unexpectedly subdued, offering some sweetness and possibly contributing to the vegetal aroma. Palate: More bitter than anticipated, with a funky bitterness mingling with fruits and light syrupy notes. It's quite bitter, with muddled herbaceousness. The rye spice is there, but the flavors are indistinct. Hints of bitter, burnt chocolate are present. Finish: Herbs and spices become clearer, with lemon, revealing a more delicate flavor. A slightly bitter wood note appears, less harsh than the palate. Conclusion: The PX finish isn't overpowering as feared. The surprising aspect is the flat, bitter profile. This doesn't offer a good impression of Coppersea Distilling. Due to its intense bitterness and lack of complexity, this falls significantly short of Lost Lantern's California Spirit Works Rye Sloe Finish (13/23). It's struggling to reach an 11, potentially much lower, likely an 8. Revisiting the next day reveals much less bitterness and more herbal depth. Still quite bitter, but not painfully so. The PX remains restrained. Not a great dram, but significantly improved from yesterday, now at least a 10. It evokes Whistlepig PiggyBack vibes, though less nuanced and more forceful. There are also hints of Dad's Hat. While I prefer Whistlepig, this could be as high as a 15, but I'm settling on a 13. What a turnaround! This highlights the impact of palate condition. The reason for the change is unknown, but trying it twice was worthwhile. Thanks to a friend for sharing this unusual rye!

I've often wondered if cask finishing is sometimes used to mask an imperfection. You know, like covering up something ordinary, hoping it turns out well, but there's something unusual that makes people question it. It reminds me of a friend from college, "S." You see, S dated this guy Ali for all four years of her undergraduate studies. He came from an extremely wealthy family in Pakistan. We always told her, "Don't get your hopes up; he'll return home and marry someone there. He's incredibly wealthy; why would he struggle in the US like us middle-class folks?" But no... she went ahead and got a tattoo just below her bikini line, on her inner thigh, intended symbolically only for him to see. The tattoo read "Ali." Well, right after graduation, Ali returned to Pakistan to help manage the family business. S was heartbroken. But she also had a name permanently etched on her body, the name of the person who made her cry daily. What did she do? She altered "Ali" to "CommonAlity." I'm absolutely certain the next guy she dated had numerous questions, always wondering if there was some kind of cover-up. Much like the whiskey in my glencairn tonight... except I'm experiencing far less emotional distress than S. This is despite having this while watching a scene depicting a forced cesarean in the first episode of HBO's House of the Dragon. I bought this bottle directly from the distillery in May. Finally, I'm tasting it... after sharing it with many people already. I've finally gotten around to it. This is an unusual pour. Oxidation certainly benefits it. It seems to really need time and some water to open up. Drinking it without some rest is just too harsh. It seems disconnected. But with a few drops of water, it opens up to reveal some jammy berries and shortbread. Strawberry jam, some balsamic, and a lot of youthful heat. I believe it's very young, which is what they were attempting to conceal with a cask finish? For a bottling sold only at the distillery, I wish it were better. Unfortunately, it's not worth the price I paid.