Four Gate Private Select Cask No. 20 (Mash & Journey)

Consumed neat. A second pour, allowed to sit out to open up. Extremely enthusiastic about this one. I’ve enjoyed recent Toasted MGP Ryes, but they are typically 4-5 years old. At 8 years, this is getting quite mature for MGP, so I’m eager to see the impact of the finishing. On the nose, the age combined with the extra finishing creates a dense atmosphere. Sweet oak, reminiscent of fresh pine. Toasted coconut is the dominant note and it’s quite delightful. There’s a tropical quality, not quite citrus, more like pineapple. Vanilla frosting. A hint of chocolate. Pepper and chili powder. More and more fruits emerge, like stewed fruits. Truly impressive. The mouthfeel is incredibly thick and syrupy. That pineapple note was immediate on the tongue, quickly transitioning to darker notes of toasted coconut. The mid-palate shifts to dark chocolate before lightening back to toasted coconut and toasted marshmallow with a touch of that pineapple. The rye characteristics appear on the finish with rye spice and pepper. More pineapple and a bit of vanilla are present. The finish is exceptionally long. Even the dark, bitter chocolate reappears. The finish seems to go on endlessly. Now another wave of pineapple is emerging. I will reduce its score slightly. The dark chocolate note I noticed mid-palate has a sharp bitterness I dislike, similar to dark cocoa powder. It fades quickly, and the incredible finish only slightly detracts from the experience. This is an astounding pour. It’s a premium bottle ($224), but I believe it might be my favorite rye in my collection. I’ll taste it blind after it airs out more, but based on memory, it seems more impressive than the Kentucky Owl and significantly surpasses the Down Home Toasted MGP Rye I cherish. No other MGP rye compares. Perhaps the older Willer Rye I own might be comparable. Possibly Cornerstone. It’s in rare company regardless.