Small Batch Frontier Whiskey
Straight 95% Rye Mash Whiskey
45% ABV (90 proof)
~$25
Color: light golden brown
Smell: light and pleasant rye delivery - I get a dill pickle sweetness, mostly, along with a little bit of mint and a subtle vinyl smell like raincoats.
Taste: a little bit of grain sweetness upfront, but then it gets hot in a hurry. A big blast of unbalanced woodiness takes over midpalate and lingers into the medium-length finish. The initial and fleeting sweetness in the mouth is very reminiscent of the nose, but the oakiness is new and overpowering. A bit of pepper and dill try to assert themselves on the finish, but it's quickly back to feeling like I'm licking furniture.Overall: it's not terrible, but I'm not crazy about it. In the "C+/B-" range for me due to the woody hotness. The smell and the initial entry are really quite excellent, but this is definitely a whiskey that could benefit from many more years in the barrel to mellow. I'm sure this mixes just fine for cocktails, but with the ryes available in this price range (Sazerac, Rittenhouse, even Overholt), it's tough to recommend. Would be interesting if they released a 10 year old version of this like they do for the bourbon - the nose leads me to believe this could age well.
