Very Olde St. Nick Estate Reserve 7 Year Winter Maple Rye Whiskey

Rating: 12/23 I've been curious about this brand for a while, so I'm excited to finally be trying one of its releases. Nose: Oily, but otherwise light. It reminds me of Canadian whiskey or single grain scotch, which is not a great first impression to give. Digging in more after a couple of minutes in the glass, I get some faint herbal notes and light sweetness, as well as a touch of grassiness. I'm still not impressed, but it's an improvement. Palate: Light and sweet, with some spiciness. At first, I get marshmallows, then a bit more of a caramel flavor emerges, which gradually turns into grade A maple syrup. The spices are cinnamon with ginger and clove, but that maple is what really takes the center stage. This is fairly tasty, but it's more like a cocktail than a whiskey. I like that there aren't any off-notes, but I feel like the hot grain really still shows through. It tastes like a maple barrel is covering up an uninspiring rye. I do get some of that grain oiliness coming through. there are hints of bitter herbs at times, but they're faint and indistinct. Possibly faint hints of orange peel. Finish: The maple lingers for a long time, only ever turning faintly vegetal. There's a long, mild, spicy burn too. Maybe some faint, bitter herb flavor. Conclusion: This is easy to sip, but I don't think that the core spirit is all that good. Someone clearly had fun aging this and the outcome is a decent cocktail, but it's still nothing all that exciting. This can have a 12 for its sippability, but it's still just not that great. I've made plenty of maple old fashioned that tasted a heck fo a lot like this. Thanks for this sample! I'm confused by this one, but I did enjoy it.

It's December 7th, and I plan to sample a new rye whiskey daily this month. While my rye expertise isn't as lacking as my Scotch knowledge was this time last year, I'm always open to recommendations for excellent rye whiskies. With established objectives (having goals is beneficial), there are key contenders I could use assistance locating. Share your most challenging ones. Objectives (condensed): 5 ryes. 4.5 stars. Widely available. (1/5, WT101) I aim to discern the difference 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 evokes the sudden recollection of distressing past experiences as your happiness begins to fade. >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~