Copper & Cask Rye: Boston Rum Party

Finished in rum barrels

MSRP: $74.99

Mash: 95% rye, 5% malted barley 

Proof: 121.2

Age: 8 years

Nose: rich leather and mahogany, molasses, mint tea, leaf tobacco, and a bit of golden raisin

Palate: the molasses and mint tea mingle together to become the dominant note in the palate, it's followed by a brown sugar simple syrup, leather, green apple and honeysuckle 

Finish: medium to long finish of brown sugar and apple

Rating: Buy it (Out of Hoard, Buy, Try, Pass)

Thoughts: This is wonderful, but it absolutely needs to breathe. It is borderline a hoard it rating, but it drinks a little hotter than I would like. That aside, the flavors presented here are simply fantastic. It's definitely a rye, but it is never in your face about it. The mint is very subtle and just adds a green likeness that you wouldn't find in bourbon. The rum adds waves of sweetness, and together the base and finish have made for a wonderful dark earthiness. Value wise for what you're getting here, this is a king amongst whiskies. Grab it before it's gone.

What's the Deal?: Copper & Cask is an NDP out of Rhode Island that collects barrels they find interesting distilled in different places and aged in different places. Some of my favorites from them have been the MGP bourbons distilled in Indiana and aged in Florida. Beyond collecting interesting barrels, they are ALWAYS experimenting. I strongly remember visiting the warehouse for a pick and being able to try one of the six coffee cask finishes that they were doing with different roasts from different local roasters. They also had vermouth, chartreuse, and absinthe finishes amongst all of the normal varietals.

Rum finished rye is not as revolutionary as some of the other finishes Copper & Cask has done. However, being in New England and so close to the Boston area, naming this the Boston Rum Party is just fun. The crazy artwork on the back only emphasizes the Boston Tea Party call out for a 250th Anniversary release. Although this isn't the best rum finished rye I've had, it's still damn good and at a great price. Keep an eye on what Copper & Cask is doing.

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