Down Home Straight Rye Toasted Barrel Finish

Neat. First pour from the bottle. Okay, I love Batch 1 and then I came across a store pick single barrel today. So, a single barrel, store pick, with a heavily toasted finish from MGP Rye? That's what I want. On the nose, this single barrel is very typical MGP rye. It has a decent amount of dill upfront, which wasn't on Batch 1. Lots of cinnamon roll goodness too. Sweet, doughy, covered and smothered in sweet cream icing. Very, very peppery. It's interesting because the label says 'Heavy Toast,' but I recall more of the secondary barrel's influence on Batch 1. This is lightly toasted by comparison, with only a hint of toasted marshmallow. Fantastic mouthfeel (it's 121 proof) and it lights up the tongue with flavor. Powdered sugar and maple syrup. The mid-palate is typical MGP Rye, but then the back of the palate and finish are pure magic. The secondary barrel finishing comes in with this wave of great flavors. Toasted marshmallow, like the roasted marshmallow on top of sweet potatoes. Then that cinnamon roll goodness lingers. Ah, this is great stuff once again. I might even prefer Batch 1. I feel like this is more typical MGP. If you like MGP Rye, you should definitely buy these Down Home single barrels.

Tried it neat after a neck pour. It's practically barrel proof MGP rye that's been toasted. Sounds great! The initial release of the Toasted Down Home Bourbon was merely adequate, though later batches showed improvement. I'm anticipating that experience has informed the development of this rye. The original Toasted Bourbon seemed hampered by its youth, so that shouldn't be a problem here. The aroma is intriguing. Toasted almonds are upfront, and deeper investigation reveals it doesn't quite carry the expected MGP character. Light fruits, akin to an apple medley, are present behind the nuts. There's a hint of cinnamon, and the rye presents as rye bread with a touch of pepper. The finish is more subdued than Michter's. It's curious, but the nose isn't particularly remarkable. Wow, the mouthfeel is thick, like syrup, and the flavors hit immediately. Expect toasted coconut, maple syrup, vanilla icing, and a cinnamon roll. The finish returns to the toasted coconut, introduces more icing, and then a touch of rye. It's incredibly sweet. Good job, Down Home. My risk paid off. This might be the best MGP rye I own. A real pleasure.

Glad I don't have to add this one. Nose: Noteworthy toasted barrel aroma. Creamy vanilla, but alcohol is prominent. Light oak, it's young. But sweet. Where is the rye though? I couldn't distinguish this from the bourbon they toasted. Taste: Interestingly, the initial taste is all sweet toasted cream and oak, but after swallowing, I detected the rye, followed by that young and toasted barrel note again. Just overwhelmingly sweet with some rye spice. This is very good for what it is, but it's not something to actively seek out. I have a 1.75L bottle, solid flavor, but its youth detracts slightly.

This tasting is for Batch 1. The aroma suggests toasted rye bread alongside apple butter. It's an odd pairing, but enjoyable. The taste begins with oakiness and proceeds with subtle fruit notes, incorporating anise and mint. Cinnamon emerges prominently on the aftertaste. This is a remarkably good whiskey. I found myself appreciating this much more during subsequent tastings than on the initial one. A solid rye for those who don't typically favor them. After two years, I happened upon this exact bottle, discounted at Liquor Barn in Lexington, KY (the final one) for $75. Truly delightful.

Nothing unpleasant about this, but the additional toasting masks much of the rye I was expecting. I would not have identified it as a rye based on the taste. That said, the nose offers caramelized sugar, mint, and oak. It was probably bottled a bit too potent for my liking, I detect a slight oaky dryness on the palate and a very short finish. Perhaps adding a splash would have released more flavor, but it’s too late now.

This is a really good toasted rye whiskey with an excellent aroma and flavor. It's not excessively smoky like a campfire, but has toasted nuts and spice in the finish that I really enjoy. I've only encountered this while visiting relatives in Louisville.