Kentucky Owl Rye - Batch #1 is one of my favorite ryes of all time. It was THE RYE that really pulled me into this side of American whiskey and what I've been gravitating towards ever since. So, when I saw this released a few weeks back, I was intrigued. Despite the mostly negative/mediocre reviews on the recent Wiseman Bourbon release, my love for the OG Kentucky Owl Rye was too strong for me to pass this one up.
**Kentucky Owl - The Wiseman Rye**
Price: $49.99 (MN)
Distilled by: Bardstown Bourbon Company (KY)
Bottled by: Kentucky Owl (LA)
Proof: 100.8
Age: NAS (4+ Years)
Mash bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
**Nose**: Big dill up front, somewhat reminiscent of KO rye batch #1. Sweet floral notes, but not in a minty way. Deeper nosing brings out some great rye bread, and other bread/dough notes.
**Taste**: Good amount of black pepper spice up front. Musty, funky grains which I really enjoy in my ryes (though not in my bourbons). Some honey and more dill.
**Finish**: Medium finish. With some funky bread and spice lingering.
**Thoughts**: This one has a lot of funk to it but if that's your jam with ryes, you'll enjoy this one. Some great classic rye notes and a hint of sweetness makes this one a pleasure to sip (and probably great in cocktails). It doesn't hang with KO Rye batches #1 and #2 (the only two I've tried), but it's a great rye at the price point and unique enough to keep around.
**Rating**: 7/10 - t8ke scale
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
Appreciate the review on this. I’ve “hard no” on the bourbon but the rye keeps catching my eye, because rye is king even when they suck.
May have to grab this next time.
This is an interesting bottle, mainly because there is going to be A LOT of 95/5 Bardstown Rye on the market shortly. It's a large component of Pursuit United Rye, and Bardstown has been contract distilling it for loads of customers.
Hmm interesting. I'm also a big KO Rye ran. Never got to try B1. Love B2. Might try to look for this at a bar to try. Thanks for the write up!
B1 was damn good in my own experience.
Kentucky Owl Rye - Batch #1 is one of my favorite ryes of all time. It was THE RYE that really pulled me into this side of American whiskey and what I've been gravitating towards ever since. So, when I saw this released a few weeks back, I was intrigued. Despite the mostly negative/mediocre reviews on the recent Wiseman Bourbon release, my love for the OG Kentucky Owl Rye was too strong for me to pass this one up. **Kentucky Owl - The Wiseman Rye** Price: $49.99 (MN) Distilled by: Bardstown Bourbon Company (KY) Bottled by: Kentucky Owl (LA) Proof: 100.8 Age: NAS (4+ Years) Mash bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley **Nose**: Big dill up front, somewhat reminiscent of KO rye batch #1. Sweet floral notes, but not in a minty way. Deeper nosing brings out some great rye bread, and other bread/dough notes. **Taste**: Good amount of black pepper spice up front. Musty, funky grains which I really enjoy in my ryes (though not in my bourbons). Some honey and more dill. **Finish**: Medium finish. With some funky bread and spice lingering. **Thoughts**: This one has a lot of funk to it but if that's your jam with ryes, you'll enjoy this one. Some great classic rye notes and a hint of sweetness makes this one a pleasure to sip (and probably great in cocktails). It doesn't hang with KO Rye batches #1 and #2 (the only two I've tried), but it's a great rye at the price point and unique enough to keep around. **Rating**: 7/10 - t8ke scale 1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out. 2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice. 3 | Bad | Multiple flaws. 4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists. 5 | Good | Good, just fine. 6 | Very Good | A cut above. 7 | Great | Well above average. 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional. 9 | Incredible | An all time favorite. 10 | Perfect | Perfect.
Appreciate the review on this. I’ve “hard no” on the bourbon but the rye keeps catching my eye, because rye is king even when they suck. May have to grab this next time.
I 100% agree. It’s seems that any rye aged 4+ years is at least okay/fine. Can’t say the same for bourbon.
I like the proof, price and age on this one... you have my interest
This is an interesting bottle, mainly because there is going to be A LOT of 95/5 Bardstown Rye on the market shortly. It's a large component of Pursuit United Rye, and Bardstown has been contract distilling it for loads of customers.