Kentucky Owl 11 Year Rye (Batch #2)

This rye, aged 11 years and at 101.9 proof, has been open for about a year. I wanted to give it a proper evaluation. Nose: This is one of the few American whiskies that I can smell distinctly even when I'm away from the glass. As I pour, a sweet, cherry, yeasty aroma drifts out, noticeable from several feet away. It smells like a cherry sour candy crushed between fingers after working in an old barn. There's a tangy-sweetness, dry vegetation, and aged oak. Deep sweet caramel, almost like cream soda or Butterbeer. Cherry Sours, Butterbeer, honey, and old barn hay, all in a pleasant way. Taste: It's very well-balanced. Nothing stands out immediately; the mouthfeel is the first thing you notice. The typical rye spice and kick are much milder than in other ryes. It has a cream soda effervescence. The cherry flavor becomes darker, almost burnt. The oak is more prominent, and the tingling herbal notes are much stronger. Oak tannins finish along with warming baking spices. Finish: After swallowing, the whiskey's character settles beneath my tongue, giving a gentle warmth, like a "Kentucky Hug." This is a friendly, warming rye, reminiscent of a "log cabin in Aspen." There's a note of "grass in pool water" when I chew. A previously read note about honey drizzled over hay is accurate. Cherry Sours reappear only in the aftertaste. Summary: Tangy, syrupy sweetness, butterbeer, honeyed hay, and oak, all cohesively blended. This bottle was a generous gift from a colleague, a very kind and generous individual. Thank you. Interesting note: During a blind rye tasting with friends recently, this was the top-rated whiskey. It beat out JDSBBP Rye and WT Rare Breed Rye. We regretted not including Alberta Premium CS, but still felt confident this would have won. [Note: Tasting so many ryes blind eventually made us appreciate bourbon more. Not that we were drunk, but we rediscovered how great bourbon is.] Overall, for ryes, I believe few are better, except perhaps THH and some other aged options. JDSBBP Rye, Rare Breed rye, and Alberta Premium are the only other ryes I'd consider when this runs out. 89/100 4.25 is insufficient, but 4.5 is too much.

I waited until my second bottle to review this. While I enjoy Willett 4 year, this offered a burst of flavor with less intensity. I personally find this superior to batch #3, though I might be in the minority. I started exploring Kentucky Owl later than some, and while taste is subjective, after opening this bottle, I found another the next day because I enjoyed it so much. The aroma is classic: honey, grass, and green herbs like dill and mint. The dill is particularly noticeable to me as I don't often detect it, and although I dislike pickles, I appreciate its presence here. The palate is amazing. It's remarkably smooth for its proof, gliding pleasantly and lingering. It stays longer than most ryes I've had. I admit, which is why I waited to write this until my second bottle was open, I didn't initially appreciate the KO rye. It took several glasses before I started to crave it. Now, it's difficult not to reach for it. Those grassy and honey notes appear on the palate right at the start, followed by the dill, enhanced by the age of this 11-year rye. The finish truly distinguishes it from other excellent ryes. I don't see this as a universal rye; it's one that's perfectly suited for me. Many might skip this due to the price, but at $80, it would be impossible to find. While I won't claim the taste justifies the $180 price tag, I'm on my second bottle. I also acquired batch #3 of the rye and subsequently found my unicorn, bourbon Batch #9. I think the best part of this rye is how it evolves as it sits. It's a wonderful experience; pour a generous glass and let it develop for about 40 minutes.

The shop offered this to me for $180. I was with some rye enthusiasts, so I decided to share it. Nose - vanilla, oak, and a forward, intense rye spice. Taste - This is just overwhelmingly spicy rye and sweet. I should probably pick out some specific notes, but it's kind of all over the place with mint, honey mustard, cereal, and then a ton of baking spices and other elements. It's decent, with nice spices and flavor, but it doesn't show any signs of being a high-end whisky for such an exorbitant price. So, here's my confused perspective. It's flavorful, and I'm enjoying the tastes, but the 11 years of aging are not apparent at all. It's not significantly more complex than a four-year-old Willett. I continue to feel that the blender for Kentucky Owl, Dixon, is not skilled. He just combines intense flavors, and sometimes they work out. If you're a rye fan, this might be a 3.0, but for me, it's a 1.75. It's got flavor but lacks control.

Smell: Cherry, baking spices, butter and toffee/caramel. One of the best rye smells I've encountered. Makes me excited to try it. Taste: This hits with the baking spices first. With hints of vanilla and some slight fruity notes following. Then the sweet heat arrives a little and mellows out to a cherry/banana finish. It has a nice long finish and does not leave you disappointed. This is a great drink. Definitely one of the best ryes I’ve ever had. Once you get over $100/retail it’s hard to judge the drink in my opinion. Is it worth paying the high amount? I’ll leave that up to you. As this is definitely a bottle I don’t regret buying. I’m a huge fan of all Kentucky Owl drinks that I’ve tried so far.

A very rich rye whiskey. Spicy rye on the palate with maraschino cherries and vanilla. I detect some caramel as I sip it over time. It seems to need 20-30 minutes to open up fully. Excellent smoky notes and barrel char that linger in a very long finish. The finish is exceptionally long, persisting for hours if I don't consume anything else. It has excellent spice, smoke, and barrel char. My only issue with this whiskey is the cost. It's around $200 in my area. I feel a price of $120-130 would be more appropriate, but it's wonderful, if a bit pricey.

A deep amber color with a fragrant aroma reminiscent of a bakery. Nutmeg's intensity is matched by vanilla, custard, caramel, and a whisper of buttercream. The palate echoes the bakery theme with vanilla, caramel, and toffee taking the lead, supported by a hint of fruit sweetness, nutmeg, rye spice, and salted peanut. The finish is of medium length, presenting cinnamon, vanilla, and peanut balanced by caramel and oak, tempering the sweetness of the palate.