Hannah’s Rossville Union Straight Rye Review
Original review written April 19, 2022
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
This is a dessert rye with complexity, and at the price tier, it’s one I intend to keep in the bunker. Peaches, cherries, oak, and rye freshness make for a great combination. 93/100
VITALS:
– Made In: Lawrenceburg, Indiana, USA
– Distiller: Lux Row Distillery/Ross & Squibb Distillery
– Classification: Small Batch Straight Rye Whiskey (159 barrels used for this batch)
– Age: A blend of 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old rye whiskeys
– Mash Bill: unpublished
– Casks: unpublished char
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 47% (94 proof)
– Price: $36.95 USD in Idaho 2022
Visit www.rossvilleunion.com for more information
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the spirit neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this rye here!
SETTING:
I picture strawberries and cream and linen to go with Rossville Union. This is sweet and enjoyable and bright and the epitome of summer. Get some ripe berries, mix with maybe some straight cream or perhaps vanilla ice cream if the day is warm. You don’t even have to look around you – you know that everything is in bloom, and everything looks beautiful. The freshness of clean linen only makes the day more complete and lets you enjoy those strawberries and this rye to the fullest.
Photo by Deva Williamson on Unsplash
NOSE:
Traditional rye brightness and freshness exudes from the glass, founded off of the grain, but also earth and the smell of rain (petrichor). Fruits are sparse, but deep inhales can coax out white-fleshed peaches and granny smith apples that contribute a tartness to the nose. Any kind of sugary sweetness is also limited; however, there is barely-there white chocolate, light vanilla bean (think ice cream), and simple syrup. Spices like white pepper, rye, and a pinch of allspice make the nose livelier and add a necessary complexity to this otherwise, simpler nose. The alcohol is incredibly mild, and I’m not convinced that it could bite at all. Nevertheless, I find myself liking this nose and I am looking forward to what the palate will bring.
PALATE:
– Mouth Feel: Smooth – very, very smooth. There’s oiliness and viscosity that keep me going back for sip after sip.
– Balance: The freshness of the rye combined with the dessert quality of this whiskey make it very balanced, complex and thoroughly enjoyable.
– Visual: Russet in color, this falls first in a curtain of long legs from the rim of the Glencairn, only to eventually separate into many clinging droplets that just will not disappear.
– Taste: Wood and bitter citrus zest greet me first on the palate, contrary to many of the scents from the nose. It’s followed by light caramel, the white peaches from the nose, and Rainer cherries that both brighten and deepen the flavor. There’s even a white wine element that makes the pour pop and go well with the peach. Like prosecco even. The palate is much sweeter than the ryes I’ve enjoyed before and coupled with the freshness that makes a rye a rye, this makes it a welcome pour. It’s summery and smooth and an easy sipper all around. Though there may not be an abundance of flavor, the flavors that are here are uncommon and unique. They turn this simple pour into something quite complex and distinct from its rye peers.
The alcohol remains mild and approachable, and a Kentucky chew makes the cherry explode and the dessert component of this rye grows exponentially, with the alcohol not being overbearing in the slightest. What an enjoyable pour.
FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Long. The warmth sits on the palate for much longer than I’d expect and there’s even a pleasant aftertaste as well to join it.
– Between Sips: Cherries linger the longest between sips; however, there are definite wood chips as well, soaked in peach syrup to make them logged in sweetness that is beyond tempting to chew.
– No More: This stays consistent the further I get into the glass, if not more enjoyable. It’s sweet, easy to sip, and fresh all at once. What’s not to like?
The empty Glencairn is a warm, sweet oak – more of those soaked wood chips, and it is absolutely delicious.
WORTH THE PRICE?
At under $40, absolutely this is worth the price. This falls easily into a great value category, and it will be one that I look to keep on my shelf even more than some of the other ryes that I enjoy. This has complexity, sweetness, freshness, and at this price, it’s impossible to not want to try to out. I’m only sorry it took so long for me to purchase a bottle.
ROSSVILLE UNION STRAIGHT RYE REVIEW RATING: 93/100
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