By Richard Thomas
Score: B
(Credit score: Richard Thomas)
Essentially the most approachable of the newest Lock, Inventory and Barrel releases (I wrote up their 21 yr outdated rye earlier this month) is their new Vatted Rye. Frankly, I like the title. It’s borrowed from the now outmoded Scotch whisky terminology of referring to a mix of malt whiskies (i.e. no grain whisky included) as a vatted malt. It even has a bottle harking back to VAT 69, which in its flip is derived from that manufacturers historic observe of recycling discarded Port wine bottles for its blended whisky.
For its vatted rye, mum or dad firm Cooper Spirits has drawn on a 4 distinct sources: Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Alberta. The identities of these rye whiskeys couldn’t be extra totally different. Though Canadian rye is thought for being 100% rye whisky, it could be aged in new or used oak. Pennsylvania rye is pushed by the Keystone State’s craft distilling sector, and is famous for being no corn and really excessive in rye content material (albeit hardly ever 100%).
Kentucky rye was originated by bourbon-makers, and is as near bourbon as one can get whereas nonetheless being rye. One other option to check with it’s as a high-corn rye whiskey, and the rye content material hugs the statutory minimal, 51%, required by Federal legislation. Indiana normally means MGP, the primary provider of aged inventory whiskey in America, and their ubiquitous 95% rye recipe. Nevertheless, we can not say for positive if MGP was the provider or solely provider this time, since there are different distillers working in Indiana these days. That is stated to attract on shares from 4 to eighteen years of age, with a “core” that’s 9 years outdated. Particular sourcing and proportions are unknown, however the proof is 100.
The Whiskey
I discovered the colour darker than is often the case for ryes, which are usually bronze or copper in look. This was mild, verging on center amber. The scent lead with dill, citing vanilla, peppermint and nougat behind it. That profile turned about 45 levels on the palate, dropping the dill, gaining some cookie spices and a woody, peppery observe, plus a present of citrus, whereas retaining its vanilla. The end carries the wooden and pepper off its again finish, however that fades to go away only a hint of the cookie spices.
The Worth
Count on to pay about $85 a bottle for this rye.
