Very Olde St. Nick Ancient Cask 8 Year Rye

Rating: 9/23 Alright, the name of this dram is debatable. "Ancient Cask"? Seriously? Is 8 years considered "ancient" now? I wouldn't call this a young rye, but 8 years is hardly even noteworthy. Nose: Oily, with some rich, bitter herbs balanced by a lightly caramelized sweetness drizzled over modestly toasted wood. A faint hint of orange peel. However, the nose isn't very full. Palate: Mostly oily. Spicy with some heat. Some toasty notes with hints of vanilla. To be honest, this tastes a lot like a mellow single grain Scotch. I wished there was more going on here, but there really isn't much happening. It's a pretty bland, uninteresting palate. The heat prevents it from even being an easy sipper. I do detect a little bit of rye happening here, but this really has more of a single grain profile. Finish: Oily with a touch of alcohol. Faintly lingering spices. - Conclusion - I wanted to give this a 10, but it's just a bit too boring. I believe a 9 is the appropriate rating for this. Revisiting this the next day, I'm finding it more enjoyably mellow, but still far from great. It burns less than a friend's Hedonism (12/23), but it's also less fruity and complex (which illustrates just how bland this is). The Hedonism is the clear winner. Compared to this, a Caledonian 29 (1987) (12/23) has a quite nice sweet woody nuance. The Caledonian definitely wins here. This is certainly not a 12, nor do I believe it's an 11. A 9 is certainly possible, but I'm thinking it's a 10. A bottle known as The Sexton (9/23) is actually quite close in quality to this. I'm reconsidering that 10. On my final sip, I've decided this is a 9 after all, but it's very close to a 10. I've been very curious about Very Old St. Nick for a while now, so thank you for providing this introduction, to a friend!

It's December 8th, and I plan to sample a different rye whiskey daily this month. While my proficiency with rye isn't as lacking as my Scotch skills were this time last year, I'm always open to recommendations for excellent rye whiskies. With objectives now established (having goals is beneficial), there are certain key selections I'd appreciate your assistance in locating. Present me with your most potent contender. Objectives (briefly): Five ryes. 4.5 stars. Easily accessible. (1/5, WT101) I wish to distinguish between any bourbon and any rye. First attempt. One of these must be an Empire Rye. I desire a bold rye. I want the one that resembles the sinister green substance in Rasputin's vial. >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm pleased I purchased this at a discount, as it didn't warrant the $150 retail price. It possesses many characteristics I expect in a quality Canadian whisky, but I can find those for substantially less. While it's a good spirit, I was happy to share it with companions. I rate it 3.75 for flavor and 2 for value, leaning slightly towards flavor due to my awareness of what to expect.

A typical rye I've encountered, herbal and slightly oily. But it truly reminded me of a red wine where it left my palate dry for the aftertaste. It was a good pour, wouldn't fight someone over it, but a very unique rye.

Very light. It does not present as a Rye at all. A pleasant pour for casual sipping, but lacking depth.

Features coconut, vanilla, mint, and black pepper. However, it's predominantly thin and watery. Seems like it was diluted excessively.