Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye

I've considered purchasing this bottle, as I've heard excellent things about the distillery and I enjoy ryes. I had the opportunity to sample this at a bar, neat, in a glencairn glass. The aroma was potent with mint, pepper, and rye spices that hit quickly but ended on a sweet note. It wasn't particularly enjoyable, as I didn't feel a strong urge to return to the nose. The palate delivered a strong punch of rye spice, full of honey and spice. It lacked complexity, offering mostly rye spices, which left me wanting more. It didn't impress me and rather disappointed me, as I wasn't drawn to it. The finish was short, peppery, and tingled the taste buds with rye spices. Overall, for a $32 bottle (this cost $8 per glass), it wasn't a terrible rye, but I have many other ryes I prefer in the $30-$40 range. I would even spend an additional $10-$15 for a more enjoyable rye. I will skip buying this bottle, BUT I am interested in trying their other products.

Nose: Spicier than one might expect for a 90 proof spirit. Classic rye characteristics. Clearly not bourbon. Palate: Much more intricate than the nose suggested. There's an odd note reminiscent of glue or play-doh, but that's not quite right. It's actually quite intriguing and I quite like it. I recall experiencing something similar from a bourbon, but it was overwhelming there. Here, it seems to complement the rye. Finish: It becomes progressively sweeter. The finish almost offers some bourbon-like notes such as caramel. Notes: I will always favor good bourbon, but this is a GREAT rye. Easily enjoyable on its own, but I've also made some truly remarkable cocktails with this. I typically prefer to use less expensive spirits for cocktails, but this one was particularly excellent in drinks like a Paper Plane or Manhattan.

Went out with my wife for a meal and noticed this on the bourbon list, so I decided to sample it. I had the Redwood Empire Pipe Dream bourbon previously and found it quite enjoyable. Therefore... I concur with the expert assessment: this expression sits on the "fresh and more youthful" end of the Rye spectrum. It has a delicate aroma, followed by a palate that starts spicy with a touch of sweetness. The spicy/herbal character is akin to other Ryes I've experienced with nearly all-rye mash bills, but it possesses less intensity. 3.0 stars. It's a decent Rye, but I'd probably buy Sazerac, Rabbit Hole, or something new before I thought about purchasing Emerald Giant for the first time.

Bright fennel, verdant cardamom, clove, nutmeg, pecan pralines, a good amount of peppery heat, dry honeycrisp apple, some puckering dryness, cowhide, toasted corn kernels, green peach. It's not particularly captivating, but it also doesn't come across as 'green' as some suggested. The label indicates 4 years, which would satisfy the criteria for bonded status. Immature spirits don't taste light; they deliver a more potent impact due to the bitter wood tannins not having sufficient time to soften and expose a wider flavor range. It's robust and mature. If you appreciate that profile, I'd point you toward Beam offerings or Old Forester's Row Series.

NEAT SMELL - Notes of caramel and green apple. T ASTE - Very watery. The flavors from the nose make it to the tongue, but they are barely there and disappear quickly. AFTERTASTE - Brief. Mint is more prominent than apple or caramel. PURCHASE? Possibly; if you're curious. Given the cost, I don't think it would be a mistake. Plus, you'd be contributing to conservation and future production since they promise to plant a tree for every bottle sold. REPURCHASE?? - Unlikely.

A really great change of pace from what I've had lately. Strong candy apple and caramel on the nose. Slight pine. Some herbal characteristics. Those notes come through at the beginning on the palate before going into spice, oak, and leather. The leather continues with spice. Finishes a bit dry. Some great flavors come through with this bottle. It's a bit on the darker side and even more so on the spicy. A worthwhile bottle for the $40 price I paid.