Rieger's 6 Year Bottled in Bond Straight Rye (Fall 2022)

Smells like a dusty hay field. Or a barn floor. A tobacco barn, perhaps? Apple cider, banana, butterscotch. Sweet grass. Cocoa nibs. Tobacco. Spices. A peppery finish. I don't detect any dill or herbal notes, and the spice takes a backseat to the barnyard funk. It's like you've just been transported to a barn. I understand why this is released in the fall. Very enjoyable! Revisiting this, it has a very strong pumpernickel rye character. Overall, it's like making banana rye bread. Very unique and worth trying!

Has the distinct woodsy, barley Rieger nose, similar to a highly polished old bar. Mahogany-oak varnish is joined by mildly salty lemon. The palate maintains the tangy-sweet wood with a lemon undertone and raisins, nuts, hay, and clove. The finish is tannic with a spicy black tea presence that transforms the oak to sandalwood. Lemon zest lingers.

Sweet apricot, fresh pine, woody cedar, vanilla bean, fruit jam