Redemption Straight Rye

This concludes my exploration of the standard Redemption offerings. It comes in one of the older, round bottles; the packaging has been updated a few times since. This bottle indicates the whiskey is under four years old. It has a 95% rye mash bill, with the remaining percentage not specified. I appreciate this openness, which I don't recall seeing on the Bourbon bottle from last year. Batch: 186, Bottle: 1951. Nose: Yeast bread. Black pepper. Lemon zest. Spearmint. Sliced almonds and macadamia nuts. Vanilla and caramel. After tasting it a couple of times, I notice the peach sweet tea flavor that is so dominant in the taste. Taste: Brown sugar and vanilla. Mint chocolate. Pistachio. Some apple. Dill. Black licorice. Yeast bread. Many of the usual rye characteristics. Peach sweet tea. It's quite sweet for a rye, if you're not getting that impression from the notes. Finish: Mint chocolate. Pistachio. Black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Cinnamon Apple Jacks. Caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla. More black pepper. There's a lot of it. Moderately long. A friend mentioned this was among the worst whiskies they had ever encountered, which brought it to my attention. Undeterred, I decided to try it anyway. I must say, I don't understand their assessment at all. This is from someone usually spot-on, but not this time. Prior to purchasing this, my view of Redemption was shaped by my experiences with their other products. The main line is decent—their High Rye Bourbon BP is excellent. Regarding this particular whiskey, it's surprisingly good. It presents some unique flavors alongside a typical but clean, bready rye profile. At $28, this is a great value. I rate it a 3.5, increasing to 3.75 when considering value for money. Solid product. I'm eager to find the High Rye Bourbon next.

Aroma: Green apples alongside lightly toasted rye bread, fresh spearmint, citrus peel, and sweet tamarind, with a hint of lemon essence, chamomile, light berries (raspberries, cranberries, ripe strawberry, blueberries), subtle vanilla, peach and apricot preserves, fresh charred oak with a salty air, mild sweet herbal notes (sweet spearmint), somewhat stale honey, slightly acrid charred oak, faint aged leather, fresh lemon zest, light caramel, cinnamon and clove, some watermelon hard candies Taste: Robust chamomile tea, rye bread, rye spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cardamom), a hint of honey, strong brewed orange pekoe tea, gentle white pepper, some sweet Hungarian paprika, sweet rye, a touch of sweet caramel, sweet tea, orange peel Finish: A touch of bubblegum, assorted fruits (apricot, sweet banana, cherry), zesty rye spiciness, mixed apple skins, tart oak notes, some aged caramel

If this is meant to be an introduction to rye whiskey - I might just avoid it altogether. Surprisingly to me - it carries a strong aroma of rye bread (and perhaps a whisper of spearmint?). This aroma deviates from my usual expectations of 'whiskey' and I'm finding it difficult to appreciate. The liquid itself is underwhelming, offering a quick spicy burst and a hint of icy proof, then... nothing. There's virtually no flavor left on the palate and mouth.

Crafted for mixing. Not recommended for sipping straight. Notes of spice and ginger on the aroma. The taste mirrors the nose, adding a lemon essence. This rye presents a significant spice level, as anticipated from its grain composition. It lacks depth. Its character is straightforward, offering little variation.

A subtle whiskey from Indiana with an aromatic beginning featuring notes of grain, wood, fruits, flowers, herbs & spices; its balanced mid-palate shows citrus & rye, leading to a smooth, medium-length finish with notes of oak, rye spice & a hint of mint. January / May 2017 / August 2022

The aromas bring to mind sweet baking spices, oak, and caramel. The flavors are dominated by allspice, cinnamon, and oak. The finish is short, marked by notes of caramel and cinnamon. It is two years old and would benefit from aging an additional two years for improvement.