Litchfield Straight Rye Whiskey

My third review from my visit to the Litchfield Distillery yesterday afternoon. Tasted their Cask Strength at the distillery, and also brought back a small bottle to have in the comfort of my (parents') home. "Aged 4 Years"... drank with a small ice cube. Color: Medium copper/amber. Nose: Leather (reminiscent of an "Old leather-bound book") and toasted corn... almost like Fritos! Palate: Initial sweetness with a pleasant tongue coating. A spicy tingle and slight burn follow, along with a nice warm sensation in the chest. The higher proof (the highest of Litchfield's expressions) is quite apparent. Oak char is prominent towards the end. Finish: Long with a tingle that could almost be described as "tongue-numbing". Raisin and licorice emerge at the end. This is good. It wasn't my favorite of the five I tried, but it will likely be #2 or #3. I'll know once I revisit the Straight Rye shortly...

This marks my fourth evaluation from my visit to the Litchfield Distillery yesterday afternoon. I sampled their Straight Rye at the distillery and also brought a small bottle home to enjoy in the comfort of my (parents') residence. It is "Aged Not Less Than 2 Years"... Appearance: A light golden color. Nose: Cucumber (Remarkable! This is novel and distinct!), Wheat Thins crackers. I surmise that what I'm detecting is the rye as well (It constitutes 70% of the mash bill). Palate: Sweet and spicy, consistent with most ryes I've encountered. I'm identifying certain elements but am unable to precisely name them. This is quite frustrating when I cannot articulate them. Nevertheless, it is very good and full of flavor. Finish: Medium duration with an almost buttery texture. It is not equitable to compare a rye against a bourbon. However, among the five Litchfield Distillery spirits I tasted, this Rye ranks highly.

The aroma has notes of sweetened raw rye grains and vanilla. On the palate, it's sweeter with eucalyptus and raw dough, plus young oak. The finish is like cinnamon candy.