Taconic Distillery: Fox & Hare Rye Single Barrel

Burlington Wine & Spirit's Single Barrel

20 bottle yield

MSRP: $150

Mash: 95% rye, 5% malted barley

Proof: 137

Age: 5yrs

Nose: musty oak, sarsaparilla, wintergreen mint, black walnut, dried fig, Madagascar vanilla, dark brown sugar, deep earthy complexity with a soft sweetness present in the background

Palate: The nose follows through to the palate beautifully, paired with a rich and viscous mouthfeel. The oak and walnut become very prevalent and provide an explosion of flavor.

Finish: Long finish of oak and sarsaparilla that fades into a lasting vanilla note

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

Thoughts: This is by far the best rye that I own and the best rye I've ever had. I have built up a decent collection of expensive ryes that range from $100-400, and this smokes them all. To prove this to myself, I did a high-end rye blind, and this monstrous 5yr rye came out on top. I haven't had Booker's Rye, but I can only imagine that this can hang with it given that it beat ryes that are supposed to be in the same league as Booker's Rye.

This bottle is a perfect example of breaking barriers that people place on whiskey. It is only 5 years old. It is from a "craft" distillery. It has a mashbill that can be abrasive and too rye forward. And yet... It is a perfect display of what potential a rye can have. It's just an all-around amazing bottle. Taconic is doing amazing things in New York.

Have you had Taconic Rye yet???