Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel Rye 4 Year

Rating: 14/23 This is merely 4-year-old MGP, which I typically find uninspired. However, I've heard positive things about this specific bottling and have never tasted cask-strength 4-year-old MGP before, so I decided to try it. Nose: Uh oh. Alcohol hits first. After letting it sit for a minute, notes of dill, lime fruit wedges, and light mint emerge. It's lighter than I anticipated given the proof, but I enjoy this pleasant aroma. With more time, a subtle woodiness appears, with a toasty quality and occasional faint vanilla. Deeper inhales reveal some young alcohol, but it's not too overwhelming considering the proof. Palate: It's big, with wood and alcohol making an initial impact, followed by dill. The dill sits prominently on top of everything. Young MGP is often overly sweet, but this one is just right. There's a touch of grain and water sweetness mixed with the candy-like sweetness of the lime fruit wedge. Significant tannins from the barrel contribute prickly spices, along with some mint. This is where I wish I could claim significant complexity, but unfortunately, there isn't much. The robust flavors are enjoyable with the high proof, but there's also a noticeable amount of alcohol, and the edges of all the flavors are rough due to the limited aging. Finish: Wood, tannins, dill, and mint. The finish is drier than the palate, which is a nice contrast. - Conclusion - It's solid, but I'm not particularly amazed. The intensity of flavor for only 4 years seems high, but the youthful alcohol and balance are certainly fitting for that age, or perhaps even a bit younger. After comparing it side-by-side with Wild Turkey Rare Breed (14/23) (more complex, but more alcoholic), Early Times Bottled In Bond (15/23) (perhaps slightly more complex, but also more balanced), and George Dickel Single Barrel 15 (15/23) (more complex and balanced, and surprisingly not significantly more tannic), I've concluded that this is unfortunately just a 14. I enjoy it well enough, but it lacks complexity and maturity.

My barrel comes in at 61.4% alcohol. It's 4 years old. I'm aware of the legendary SAOS barrels from the past; how will the more recent, younger product compare? The aroma is potent and herbal, with notes of lemongrass, mint, eucalyptus, white pepper, coriander, and rye spice, complemented by an underlying sweetness reminiscent of an English tea biscuit. It smells young, but also like a quality rye should. The taste follows along with most of the described notes, but instead of biscuit sweetness, there's more of a honey/graham cracker character that provides balance. However, make no mistake, this isn't a weak 51% "barely rye"; the herbal notes are the main focus. The flavors are bold and dominant, hitting you directly. The finish is a bit rough, with the youthfulness evident in the form of camphor, pepper, and a sharp heat. There's also a tart, citrusy note close to grapefruit, which is unusual but not unpleasant. The mouthfeel is incredibly grainy; it's as if someone milled rye flour directly into my mouth. It's rare for a mouthfeel to make or break a spirit for me, but I suspect this is one of those instances. Overall, it's a fairly typical 4-year-old MGP-sourced rye. To be clear, it's not bad at all, and in an alternate reality where this was the only 95/5 MGP rye available, it would be fantastic. But in this reality, it costs $51.99, and I can get superior MGP ryes (like Bonesnapper X-Ray) for around the same price. It doesn't quite warrant a repurchase for me. I'd be interested to see what a 6-year version might be like in a few years.

I wish I had a bottle of Dickel rye on hand for a direct comparison, as this smells exactly like it. It's not a bad drink; the balance of sweetness, spice, and dill is just right to make me want another sip. However, I do have Sagamore Cask Strength Rye available for comparison. Comparing these side-by-side is interesting. I wasn't overly impressed with the Sagamore, but I was happy with the price I paid on clearance from a closing liquor store. After some research, Sagamore is also an MGP rye, so how do they stack up? First sip: SAOS at 56.8% ABV. Spicy rye, a little sweet, with a lot of spearmint. You can tell it's young, but it's not bad at all. Next sip: Sagamore at 57% ABV. Very similar, but the flavors are more muted. There's no spearmint, but the overall flavor profile is quite alike. Which would I choose? It's a toss-up; they're both similar, but the SAOS has a more pronounced spicy rye flavor, so it really depends on your mood that day. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Would I purchase it again for $50? Probably not, given the vast number of selections in a similar price range to explore. However, if someone asked if it was worth trying at a bar, I'd say yes, provided the price per pour is reasonable. I do regret not being able to try the older SAOS bottlings, which were apparently amazing. Oh well, perhaps they'll reappear in another decade. 10/11/22

Neat. First pour from the bottle. I was thrilled to see this at Party Source today. $48 for a cask strength single barrel is quite a bargain in my opinion. This aroma is not a typical MGP rye aroma. The dill is present but it's really subtle. The aroma overall is surprisingly muted. This is unusually tropical. Like a mango salsa. Then I detect sweetness. Cinnamon sugar. Vanilla frosting. Baking spices and pepper. The aroma is a bit muddled but I appreciate that it's not typical MGP. Very nice, thick and syrupy texture. Extremely syrupy and almost grainy. Very bold on the palate. Overpowering cinnamon icing. Wow, that's an unexpected flavor explosion. It's a vanilla icing bomb. Like consuming the icing directly from a cinnamon roll container. Then the rye really hits me forcefully. Very very orange. The peppery notes. Back to a vanilla icing on the finish. Goodness, those flavors are potent. The subdued aroma led me to anticipate the flavor uppercut. Very powerful. My eyes are watering. And my throat is under assault by cinnamon, pepper, and rye that have no intention of leaving. Solid, solid stuff. One of the better MGP ryes I've had because it deviates in an unexpected direction away from the dill. Glad the aroma wasn't an indication of the intense flavors.

Nose: Given the context of typical bourbons and ryes, I perceived a strong tobacco ash scent, suggesting it's either a bourbon or rye. The aroma exhibits a firm spiciness and notes of freshly cut grass or mint. It suggests a significant alcohol content. Taste: A sweet initial flavor, possibly from the finish. It reminds me of the mint candies I used to eat after meals at Korean BBQ restaurants. Immediately, a series of spicy jabs spread through the mouth. Finish: The transition down the throat has an intense sweetness, similar to what I've experienced with scotch. Red fruit notes emerge, making me wonder if the profile is becoming too complex. Proof: 55% ABV Type: Bourbon with a sweet finish? Score: 7.5/10 (a very high score according to my strict rating system). One-line review: Starts with a deep tobacco aroma, leads to mint, and finishes with a pleasing red fruit harmony; an unprecedented and beautiful experience. Result? I thought it was a bourbon with a sherry finish, but it turned out to be a single barrel rye... a complete miss lol. Looks like this (though the proof differs): Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel Rye Cask Strength 4 Year Old, 58.9% ABV. Nose: The high proof's oiliness is evident. It's difficult to deeply inhale the aroma due to the high alcohol, but it retains nuttiness from the oils, spiciness that masks the scent, and a sharp, minty quality. Taste: The initial impact is strong. A powerful sweetness accompanies the herbal notes of rye, along with a slightly awkward but harmonious tobacco flavor (like fresh oak). Finish: The swallow is marked by an excellent, sherry-like sweetness that hits decisively. This characteristic even speeds up the drinking pace. One-line review: * A bottle that challenges the stereotype of rye flavor. * I'd consider buying it again if I see it. * MGP is doing great work?!

Nose: Sweet with caramel, not much spice. However, it shows a lot of promise, I believe. I can see why older bottlings from 7 years and up were so good. Palate: Intense heat right away. It certainly drinks its stated proof, possibly more. Candy corn is present, and after a few sips, the rye flavor really comes through. There's also a very distinct taste, almost like burnt chocolate or something similar. Finish: That burnt flavor lingers for a considerable time. It's a medium-long finish, as expected for its proof. Overall: I purchased this from a website where it appeared unexpectedly. I was aware these used to be rare and excellent, and I didn't know the current retail price, so I paid $150. I definitely regret it because I know it's now $50. For $50, I think this is a solid rye. Anything more, and it's a pass.