Kings County Empire Rye

Rating: 16/23 Aroma: A somewhat sour, lightly spiced green wood with sawdust. Likely some dill present. It's a fairly full aroma. Palate: This is a rather rich rye. It has licorice and prominent dill notes. I haven't tried an aged MGP before (or anything that was explicitly just or mostly an aged MGP), but this strong dill flavor is precisely what I'd anticipate from one. There's a lot of herbaceousness going on here. The bottle doesn't state the rye content, but I must assume it's substantial. This is a rather dry rye, which is probably beneficial. There are some vanilla and floral elements that work well, but could be problematic if this were sweeter. Perhaps the faintest hint of chocolate is present. This compares favorably to Jim Beam Pre Prohibition Rye, though after tasting that, the dill here seems less aged. It still comes across as a fairly mature rye, however. It's less sweet than Russell's Reserve 6 Year Rye and the flavors are more distinct. In that regard, it has already surpassed a fairly high standard. Now, between this and Whistlepig Piggyback, I would likely choose the Whistlepig. I prefer the Piggyback's layered herbal complexity and finer balance. This has more barrel influence, but it also works against it because I get the impression that it's dry and over-oaked rather than aged. Surprisingly, this is sweeter than the Piggyback, and there's some impressive maturity here. They could be on the same tier, and this would likely be a better mixer (if one intended to spend that much on a cocktail). This also holds up well against Pikesville (which is definitely sweeter): I can't definitively say which I prefer. Tasting this, I begin to grasp the appeal of Knob Creek's milder rye a bit more, so I'll need to sample both side-by-side with a fresh palate. Finish: Tart, dill, floral, herbaceous, vanilla, a bit of green wood, possibly some clove. It's a very nice rye finish. - Conclusion - To me, this appears to be the standout among the Kings County offerings. I wish my order for their peated bourbon hadn't been confused with their peated single malt, but I suspect I wouldn't have been overly impressed by that either. The rye flavor here is simply quite good. It's a straightforward rye with Kings County character, but its flavors are not muddled, excessively sweet, or otherwise cloying or jarring. Given that, it's easy to enjoy. When it comes to scoring, I find that Russell's Reserve 6 Year Rye is sweeter and richer, arguably more balanced, but its overall profile is more blended, whereas this is crisp. I'd say they are in the same category, but this is slightly better. Moving on to Whistlepig PiggyBack, the Whistlepig tastes somewhat more aged with a refined mustiness, a bit more complex, and also more balanced. This captures those few prominent flavors and bolder MGP dill perfectly, but the Whistlepig is the superior whiskey. Still, this is surprisingly close. Pikesville is another excellent rye that this competes quite well with. I believe I would give the Pikesville the edge for its richness and complexity, though clearly this offers a more pure rye experience. Of this selection of very good ryes, I find the Kings County ranks above the Russell's, but below the Whistlepig and Pikesville. I think I may have underestimated the latter two previously and they might genuinely warrant 17s. Considering I gave Russell's Reserve 6 Year Rye a 16, this is either a 16 or a 17. I might have overrated the Russell's, though. If it's truly a 15, then this is definitely a 16. I think I'll settle on a 16 for now.

This could be my new favorite rye. Smooth and full of flavor. The rye is prominent but wonderfully balanced by the other components of the mash bill. Even the bottle is visually appealing.

Smoked meat, jerky aroma. Light cherry notes. Buttery mouthfeel, strong black pepper or chili finish. Lingers for a very long time.

Nose: Features spice and mint. Palate: Very dry, with rye spice and caramel flavors. Finish: A touch of sweetness and herbal notes. This is a very distinctly rye whiskey – bold and satisfying.

Medium body and good flavor, a little sweet but in a pleasant way. Not sure I could drink a lot of it at once, but it's good

I was very pleased with this. It has a definite pumpernickel taste, though the nose is slightly astringent. A truly excellent rye whiskey.