Redemption High Rye Bourbon Single Barrel Select

Of all the store selections I sampled last year, this one impressed me the most, prompting me to explore the standard high-rye bourbon. Begin rant: If you can't find the redemption high-rye bourbon locally, check the rye section. I don't understand why several stores in my area, places that should know better, continue to place this next to Redemption Rye in the rye aisle instead of with Redemption Bourbon in the bourbon section. I felt strongly about this, so I discussed it with the manager of a major chain out of curiosity (let's call them Wise Guys). She insisted this was both a bourbon and a rye because it contained rye. I ended the conversation. Unless I'm overlooking something obvious, "high rye bourbons" are... bourbons. They are not ryes. And a fun fact: Ryes are not bourbons. They are ryes. There's no such thing as a whiskey that is simultaneously a bourbon and a rye, unless you somehow manage to have both 51% corn and 51% rye in your mashbill. Even if you were to combine a rye with a bourbon (which is not what's happening here), it's no longer a bourbon. This is a "high rye bourbon" because its mashbill contains 36% rye (with 60% corn). For comparison, Four Roses' mashbill #2 uses 35% rye (60% corn), but nobody tries to label it as some innovative, hybrid product. Please place the excellent Redemption High Rye Bourbon where it belongs: with the bourbons. Because it is undeniably a bourbon. End rant. Barrel Number: 21-196 Alcohol by Volume: 52.5% Distilled: 10/10/16 Bottled: 5/25/21 The aroma is immediately musky. Dusty. Like a basement floor. There's still sweetness, apple, and tangerine. I don't detect the honey I notice in the standard version, and this is generally less sweet. It also has a new perfume-like scent, similar to fabric softener or detergent. It also has notes of cider. In contrast, the body is less intricate than I had hoped. There's plenty of caramel and apple. A strong bitter leather note. Walnuts. It's solid. The finish has cinnamon, more sugar, and caramel. I can faintly detect the apple, but it's barely there. A mild orange note appears at the end of the finish. Cinnamon is dominant here. It's disappointing when this happens. This is a decent whiskey, but having tasted the standard version, I can't help but feel let down by this one. It's genuinely good, just not as exceptional as I'd hoped. I believe there's a general expectation that a "special selection" will be superior, but that's not the case here. I will enjoy this bottle, but when compared to its less expensive counterpart, this is less complex and deviates from that amazing caramel apple profile found in the high rye bourbon. I probably won't repurchase this specific selection, but I will consider other store picks from this brand in the future. This product line is simply too exciting to ignore. P.S.: These are bourbons, folks. Not ryes.

From the Total Wine & More selection, barrel #20-079. I've always been fond of Redemption products. The standard high rye bourbon was likely one of the first bottles I ever bought, long before I considered collecting. Back then, my bar was essentially an upturned milk carton... How time has passed. Today, I discovered this alongside a rum cask-aged rye, which was also unfamiliar to me (perhaps another time for that one). It's been a while, but I recall the rye having a strong aroma (obviously). This barrel maintains that characteristic, but the ethanol is the most prominent scent initially. I'm too lazy to research this now, but I'm quite sure this, at 105 proof, is slightly higher than the standard offering, and it's hitting harder than I anticipated. Also noticeable on the nose is well-charred oak and mild vanilla. Speaking of the rum from earlier, there's also a subtle sugary sweetness that pairs well with the spice and impact. So perhaps my perception of sugary sweetness wasn't mistaken. The initial taste delivers significant sweetness to my palate, while the rye integrates into my outer gums before making its presence known. I can tell the corn is the dominant element here (which is interesting, as 60% corn isn't exceptionally high for a bourbon), with its sweetness harmonizing well with the unstated age and oak. Vanilla and sugarcane seem to be the primary profiles, but it feels more balanced than that, likely due to the rye effectively introducing a cinnamon-like burn at just the right moment. The finish reveals that the whiskey has a fairly light body, but the grains, particularly the high rye content, linger to continue showcasing the fundamental flavor. I'm pleased to say I enjoyed this a bit more than I expected. I wasn't anticipating it to be bad, by any stretch, but I'm genuinely appreciating how this tastes both very distinctive and yet still familiar. A friendly, pleasant employee used the descriptor "complex" for this, and while I dislike that term, in this context, it's not entirely inaccurate. If one were to believe that rye bourbon is the only true bourbon (they would certainly have valid arguments), then this expression elevates that notion by focusing entirely on the foundational grain combination, without any additional embellishments. It's a single barrel, so uniqueness is implied, but this also reminds me of the standard high rye bourbon bottle, and this was clearly a good choice.

A surprise find at Total Wine. Let's investigate; it's labeled "Indiana," so, like most Redemption products, it's from MGP. It's a 105 proof barrel selection, NAS, but it's "straight," so it's at least 4 years old, and non-chill filtered (excellent!). Nose is pure peanut butter. So much so that any other review where I've noted heavy peanut on the nose pales in comparison. There's some vanilla, honeysuckle, pomegranate, and ethanol present, but peanut butter is dominant. On the palate, it tastes exactly as it smells. I hate to repeat myself, but big peanut butter and vanilla flavors. It's not complex at all, but what's there is enjoyable. Finish and mouthfeel reveal some youthful characteristics; the finish is hot with a considerable bite, and it's quite short. It's not really cinnamon or "baking spices"; just heat. While a drawback, it does help temper the sweetness a bit. Some tea leaf is present after everything else fades. The mouthfeel is incredibly grainy. Is "sandpapery" a word? It is now. I probably enjoyed this more than the average person because I absolutely love peanuty whiskeys. But like loving an unattractive child, I recognize its flaws too. At $45, it's not a repurchase because I can get this same profile at a higher proof for less money with the recent 5-year Smooth Ambler Old Scout Total Wine pick. (Also MGP) If you can't access that and enjoy peanuts in your whiskey, this might be worth trying.

Selected by Orange County ABC Board Barrel No. 21-189 Distilled on 10-10-2016; Bottled on 05-24-2021 Age: 4 years, 7 months, 14 days 52.5% ABV; 105 proof Opened 3 weeks Nose - Spicy caramel, vanilla, boiled peanut brine, cinnamon, allspice, caramelized green apple, prominent grain, and moderate oak and ethanol. Palate - Peanut brittle, sweet oak, boiled peanuts, burnt caramel, slight toffee, light apple, and mild ethanol. The finish is medium, featuring significant grain and rye spice, a touch of caramel, light peanut, and a pleasant sweet cereal note at the end. This is a new product in NC, and I had previously passed on it at Total Wine in SC. For the price, I decided to give it a try. I truly appreciate the transparency on the bottle regarding the barrel, mashbill, and source. This is considerably better than other higher-priced MGP products like Old Soul, Old Scout, and Penelope. It's comparable to Belle Meade and Smoke Wagon, but I feel the age and proof slightly limit it. I regret not buying the barrel proof version in SC and hope to find one in the future. At $45, it's an excellent value considering the market for sourced MGP.

Even though I previously declared this a “not a rebuy,” I impulsively purchased another pick. (What can I say? I was a bit intoxicated) This time from “Fox Cigar Bar” in Gilbert AZ. (This review will focus on the differences compared to my previous pick, so it's mainly for my own records and will be of limited use to anyone outside the Phoenix AZ area) Nose: My prior pick was straight peanut butter; this one is less sweet and more subdued overall. It has notes of musty oak and patchouli oil. Very different and not an improvement. Palate: The pleasant peanut character from the last bottle of this I had is completely absent here. It has some rye bread, baking spices, and wood. There’s a nutty quality, but more akin to bitter walnuts. It’s a very bright and sharp bourbon. All sharp edges, and nothing integrates well. It needs some sweetness for balance, which is missing. The finish is more of the same and doesn't really evolve. Let this serve as a lesson: buyers should be cautious with store picks. Whoever selected this particular barrel clearly has a different palate than mine. A significant misstep. I won't miss it when it's gone.

MOORE STREET OYSTER BAR SOUTHPORT PICK Barrel No. 20-250... Barreled 7/31/15... Bottled 6/12/20 *NOSE: Pours into the Glencairn a great Mahogany color and features notes of Brown Sugar, Citrus, Dry Oak, Cinnamon, Savory Spices, and Cocoa Powder. *NEAT: Syrupy, Clingy Mouthfeel yields Slightly Bitter Citrus, Oak Tannins, Dry Weathered Oak, Brown Sugar, Medicinal Cherry, Cinnamon, Hay, and Black Pepper. Warm Building Finish reminds you it's 105 Proof leaving behind a nice layering coating of Cherry, Cocoa Powder, and Tannins. *SPLASH: Gives the Palate a "Buttery" quality and reduces the Medicinal Quality of the Cherry note. Be careful, though. Too much water and it picks up a youthful "corny" note. *VERDICT: Very Fairly Priced, Overproofed, Non-Chill Filtered Single Barrel. Young, but Tasty. It's rare that you find decently priced high proof MGP that is worth the money. This is one of those rare instances. Keep in mind, it's a Single Barrel so your experience may vary, but based on this barrel, I can recommend this one without hesitation.