Redemption Rye Rum Cask Finish (Batch 2)

Aroma: Very rye-prominent, with a subtle sweetness that balances it. Notes of molasses, brown sugar, a general citrus I can't quite identify, and possibly graham crackers. Palate: Sweet honey and brown sugar lead. A faint mint flavor is mixed with black pepper, nutmeg, and vanilla. Aside from these sweet notes being enhanced, it's difficult to detect any distinct effect from the rum barrels. Finish: A medium-long finish. Bold and spicy with abundant rye and cinnamon, but more honey provides balance. Near the end, there's a quick hint of something metallic, reminiscent of holding a nail in my mouth during a project. Then, a burst of milk chocolate sweetness appears in the final moments. With Water: A few drops of water bring out vanilla in the aroma. The palate shows more spicy rye and oak notes that nicely balance the sweetness. On the finish, I detect some caramel with mild salt and pepper throughout. The brief pop of milk chocolate is unfortunately gone, and interestingly, the new concluding flavor is like having just chewed a green banana. Overall: I quite like how this rye has a relatively minor rum influence compared to some other intensely rum-flavored spirits I've tried. While rye isn't my preferred whisky type, this one is well-balanced and pleasant to drink.

It's the end of 2020. Let's cap off this year with a new whiskey daily. My personal whiskey advent calendar continues. Plus six! December 1, 2020 I encountered several excellent rum-finished whiskies in 2020. Blood Oath Pact 5, Jefferson's, and Borough were all superb. I acquired this whiskey without prior knowledge of Redemption and with little regard for rye whiskey, as my focus is on the rum. Nose: Dill pickle brine, scorched sugar, vanilla essence, and mint. Body: Dill pickle brine, vanilla, cedar, salt, and a floral perfume note. I recall someone mentioning perfume as a flavor once and thought it was nonsense, but this genuinely bridges the scent and taste, similar to a strong, botanical aroma. It's appealing. Finish: Quite sweet with sugar, milk chocolate, and toffee. The transition to the finish is the highlight of this beverage. This reminds me of another rye, though with my limited experience with ryes, that might just be a layman's way of saying this is a distinguished whiskey, comparable to other well-regarded ryes. Happy holidays. My daily whiskey choice is spontaneous, so if you're reading this and have a readily available whiskey you'd like me to try this holiday season, suggest it in the comments. Wishing everyone a joyous whiskey experience, and a beer flight to all!

This one was a significant letdown. Having greatly enjoyed the Templeton Caribbean Rum Cask and being a big admirer of Angel's Envy Rye – both of which are MGP 95/5 rye with a rum finish – I decided to try this to see how it stacked up. In a word, it doesn't. The rum finish is virtually undetectable; it just tastes like young MGP rye with a very subtle hint of tropical notes near the end of the finish. It's certainly not worth the 115% price increase ($58 compared to $27) over a standard bottle of Redemption Rye. You'd be better off just adding a bit of rum to your favorite rye. UPDATE: Upon further investigation, I discovered this is a 2-year-old rye finished for only 3 months in rum casks, which explains why it tastes so young and has minimal rum influence. In contrast, the Templeton is a 6-year-old rye finished for 6 months, and Angel's Envy Rye is 6-7 years old and finished for 18 months. The AE is clearly the best of the group, but the Templeton is a very close second and a great value at nearly half the price of the AE.

I question if the official reviewer was having an off day or committed a serious error by tasting this while eating or after consuming something else. This is a very pleasing rye. It has the expected kick from Redemption, softened by a candy-like sweetness. Sure, it's not an overwhelming rum flavor. But is that always desirable? For me, preserving the characteristics of a quality rye and adding a subtle barrel influence is better than tasting only the barrel. This drink is remarkably well-rounded and full of flavor. Considering the price, it's an excellent value. And while it's excellent on its own, it makes an exceptionally fine old fashioned. I skipped the orange, muddling the sugar and lemon with peach bitters instead. Superb. I strongly dispute the official review and recommend they find someone else to provide a different assessment. It's unfair to criticize a fine product with what appears to be a hasty and unserious evaluation.

NOSE Graham crackers, brown sugar, oak, copper, citrus, vanilla, herbal, spice, and a hint of cooking oil. It presents as lightly metallic graham crackers with a subtly sweet frosting and a touch of herbaceousness. The rum is not very evident. PALATE Honey, graham crackers, oak, brown sugar, dried fruit, cooking oil, nuts, herbal, copper, dried corn, and some baking spices. The palate of the Redemption Rum Cask Finish Rye is a bit drier but has more pronounced sweetness and extra nuttiness and spice, yet still no significant rum note. FINISH Medium-long, with spice, fruit, copper, oak, and herbal notes, plus a hint of "rum." The finish gradually extends into a warm, oaky, herbal note, and just before it fades, the only distinct "rum" note appears.

AROMA Graham crackers, brown sugar, oak, copper, citrus, vanilla, herbal notes, spice, and a hint of cooking oil. It presents as lightly metallic graham crackers with a subtly sweet frosting and a touch of herbaceousness. The rum influence is not really apparent. PALATE Honey, graham, oak, brown sugar, dried fruit, cooking oil, nuts, herbal notes, copper, dried corn, and some baking spice elements. The palate of the Redemption Rum Cask Finish Rye comes across a bit drier but with more pronounced sweetness and added nuttiness and spiciness, yet still no significant rum flavor. FINISH Medium-long, featuring spice, fruit, copper, oak, herbal notes, and a hint of "rum." The finish gradually extends into a warm, oaky, herbal note, and just before it fades, the only distinct "rum" characteristic emerges.