Whiskey for the Ages Archives – Page 44 of 62

Cream of Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Posted on 27-June-202220-September-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Cream of Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Review:

reviewed 21-June-2022

CREAM OF KENTUCKY STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY REVIEW:

Cream of Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (Cream of Kentucky Rye) is without a doubt the most unusual rye I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. I do not get the usual rye freshness, and there are few sweets to tempt either, yet its earthy depth is intriguing. Best of all there is just enough heat to add another level of complexity. I’ll give this a positive nod and say pick one up when you see it on your store’s shelf.

CREAM OF KENTUCKY STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY VITAL STATS:

Category: Bottled-in-Bond Rye
Region: Middletown, KY
Distillery: Distilled, aged and bottled at Kentucky Artisan Distillery
Distiller: Jim Rutledge, former Master Distiller at Four Roses
Mash Bill: 100% Rymin Rye
Barrel Char: unpublished
Barrel entry proof: unpublished
Age: 4 years old (minimum)
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
NABCA CSC #: 16195
Price: $80.45 USD in Idaho 2022

^{The Cream of Kentucky brand was originally introduced in 1888 by I. Trager & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio. Just prior to the end of Prohibition, the brand was acquired by the famed Schenley Company and subsequently re-introduced in 1934 … [Acquired in 2018] Cream of Kentucky is now owned by J.W. Rutledge.
_{— Learn more at J.W. Rutledge Distillery.}}

ENJOYMENT METHOD FOR THE REVIEW:

Alternate pours, equaling about four ounces, were added into two Glencairns. My daughtesr and I enjoyed the bourbon neat for this review.

Check out Hannah’s review for this rye here!

And find Elora’s thoughts here!

CREAM OF KENTUCKY STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY NOSE:

Alcohol nips at the nose in my first wafts. I smell a potpourri of dried grass, dusty grain, and fresh cut hay drying in the late afternoon summer sun. More scenting brings faint baking spices of cinnamon, powdered ginger, and freshly baked rye bread accompanied by faint cocoa malt. While I do sense a sweetness, it comes more as old fashion butterscotch candy than any other aroma. With additional and careful nosing, I detect roasted hazelnuts, hazy dry old oak and rich and fragrant potting soil.

CREAM OF KENTUCKY STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY PALATE:

Cream of Kentucky Rye gives an alcohol bite filled with dusty grain and the hay found on the nose. There is faint crushed clove, powdered ginger, pepper, and more rye bread, cocoa malt, and a little milk chocolate as well. While I wouldn’t classify this as sweet I do taste woody caramel which goes in hand to hand combat with roasted hazelnuts and toasted sesame seeds. I taste a lot of earthy depth here too which fades in as hazy old barrel char and dirty leather. This is a complex rye and so distinctive from others I enjoy.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Cream of Kentucky Rye has a buttery mouth feel. While there is a bit of a tongue tickle, each sip is easy to hold even though the pour clocks in at 100 proof. Each waft and sip is complex, deep and earthy. Above the terracotta colored pool, fat evenly spaced long legs cling, then fade, leaving behind only a few drops in the broken crown.

CREAM OF KENTUCKY STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY FINISH:

Cream of Kentucky Rye offers up a medium throat warming finish with the same potpourri of dusty grain and dry hay. Powdered ginger drives the molten heat as the theme of rye, malt, milk chocolate and woody caramel quickly fade into damp dirt and hazy char. As I tip back the last drops, the empty Glencairn smells of dry oak sawdust.

MY RATING: 88/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
… And I do have another in the bunker.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this score.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Whiskey Reviews

Cream of Kentucky Rye Review

Posted on 27-June-202227-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Cream of Kentucky Rye Review

Original review written June 21, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Unique and original full of rye bread punchiness and even raisins and bran like the cereal *wink wink*. Happy to have it, and I know I’ll never have another rye like it again. 91/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Middletown, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Kentucky Artisan Distillery
– Classification: Bottled-in-Bond Rye
– Age: 4yrs (minimum)
– Mash Bill: 100% Rymin Rye
– Casks: unpublished char
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 50% (100 proof)
– Price: $80.45 USD in Idaho in 2022

“The Cream of Kentucky brand was originally introduced in 1888 by I. Trager & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio. Just prior to the end of Prohibition, the brand was acquired by the famed Schenley Company and subsequently re-introduced in 1934. Through the 1930s and 1940s, Cream of Kentucky grew to becomes on the leading bourbon brands, with renowned artist Norman Rockwell provid[ing] much of the award-winning artwork for the brand during its heyday.”

Visit www.jwrutledge.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the spirit neat from a Glencairn glass with sister, Elora, as well as father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review of this rye here!

And find Elora’s thoughts here!

SETTING:

This one is nostalgic for me in a way that makes me want to pour a glass of this with a bowl of raisin bran cereal. It’s rich, dense, with hints of sweetness mingling throughout. The rye bread of the pour will pair well, and the acidity of the grain will likewise lift the depth of the cereal. It’s homey, and it’s something I can really see myself settling into when I am just looking for a day of simplicity and comfort.

Photo by Cristine Despares on Unsplash

NOSE:

This certainly does smell creamy on the first inhale – an absolute rye bread explosion – as well as incredibly (I cannot stress this enough) nutty. Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, even cashews abound. Surrounding them in a light drizzle of a dark caramel and a bit of banana. I can find bran (like a cereal), which makes the whole nose smell outwardly quite healthy – not a common trait in a whiskey, but I’ll take it. There are some dark fruits here in a fruit leather variety, but they are very subtle, and certainly not a berry kind of fruit. They seem to be much more like prunes and perhaps dates and figs.

With the bread and nuts being so dominant, it’s difficult to find wood (but there is a malt-type of foundation) and quite difficult to find an alcohol burn also. It’s an enjoyable, unique nose that I know I have not had the likes of before. Definitely intrigued by what I will find on the palate.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Believe it or not, but creamy is an appropriate description here. There’s depth and oiliness that just eases the rye around the palate without needing any kind of aggravation.
– Balance: Heavy on bread and earthy tones, so perhaps not the most balanced. However, if you like those flavors, I don’t think you’ll be too bothered here (I am not).
– Visual: Terracotta pot in color, this falls in one great sheet before leaving a thin ring and the occasional small droplet behind.

– Taste: After the (admitted) shock value of this palate being so different from what I was expecting, raisin bran cereal absolutely captures my taste buds. It’s as if I’m having the cereal in front of me now, and I’m getting ready for school. (I always like healthier, grain cereals as opposed to something sweet with artificial fruit flavor, chocolate, or marshmallows.) As such, this rye is drinking in a very nostalgic way, right off the bat. When I dig around in the palate, I find spice like nutmeg, many of the nuts listed above, and sweetness like simple syrup to add complexity to the rye grain and cereal. There are other dried fruits here also, like the prunes and dates from the nose, and now currants as well.

All the while, the alcohol gives a little nip now and then, as if peeking out from behind a corner sheepishly. It’s not aggressive when it does bite, hearkening, again, back to a bashful attempt at getting attention. It’s playful. It combines with the rye in a way that makes the already established complexity, that much more multidimensional. I still cannot find much wood here, but the strong presence of the rye bread/raisin cereal are such a good foundation. I can forgive the lack of wood. There’s even a soda bread component to go with the rye that creates a bit of needed acidity to lighten up the dark, malty flavors.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium-Long. The aftertaste certainly perpetuates and there is a noticeable warmth that sits just at the top of the throat – not burning, but hovering.
– Between Sips: Raisin and the rye bread is constant throughout the pour, including here between sips. I’m grateful for the consistency. There are not many whiskeys that stay so true to that first inhale on the nose.

– No More: As stated – consistent as I go through the glass. The bran element grows in intensity, making me feel as though I could actually chew on this whiskey. (Note: When I did partake in a Kentucky chew, that alcohol woke up. It bit hard with rye bread before backing off again to that familiar dark, dried, fruity goodness.)

The empty Glencairn is dirty sawdust. It’s been trampled down and beaten badly, but at the end of the day, it’s still warm and as welcoming as ever.

WORTH THE PRICE?

$80 makes for a pricey bottle, but the originality and the nostalgia it’s brought up for me, makes it worth the price. I’ve never had a whiskey like this before. If I’d tried this in my early years of whiskey adventuring, I don’t think I’d like it. It’s complex and it’s even quite affronting. If you’re experienced with ryes and bourbons, and like grain forward pours, give this a try and swallow the price tag. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

CREAM OF KENTUCKY RYE REVIEW RATING: 91/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 91/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.

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Hannah’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

Elora and Booker’s 2022-01 Ronnie’s Batch

Posted on 21-June-202228-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah here! And introducing the third sipper of the family and guest writer, Elora Dawson. Elora has been sipping with Dad and me since she turned 21 two years ago, and she’s even practiced writing many a review with us! To celebrate this year’s National Bourbon Day (excuse our tardiness), we all thought it was time to include her in our posting adventures. This week, she stars as a guest reviewer on The Sip, and perhaps we will see more of her in the future. For now, enjoy reading her thoughts on a Booker’s Batch (yep – she sips with the best of them ;)).

Elora and Booker’s 2022-01 Ronnie’s Batch

Original review written June 7, 2022

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Booker’s Ronnie’s Batch is a great bourbon that has many sweet and earthy tones. However, it should NOT be taken lightly; its heat can give Kentucky hug if you are not careful.

VITALS:

Elora and Booker's 2022-01 Ronnie's Batch

– Made In: Clermont, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: 6 yrs. 11 months, 22 days
– Mash Bill: Corn=77%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 62.15% (124.3 proof)
– Price: $89.95 USD in Idaho in 2022

– From Master Distiller’s Notes: Ronnie’s Batch is made up of barrels that were aged in 5 different locations/warehouses (WH)… Breakdown is as follows:
48%: 5th floor of 7-story WH Z
26%: 5th floor of 7-story WH Q
15%: 5th floor of 7-story WH 1
7%: 4th floor of 9-story WH D
4%: 3rd floor of 7-story WH 5

Find more information at bookersbourbon.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed my bourbon neat in a Glencairn glass along with my sister and dad.

Check Hannah’s and Brian’s reviews here!

MUSIC SELECTION:

Booker’s Ronnie’s Batch should be shared with close friends and family and should be used to create happy memories. Poor Man’s Poison’s “A Place for Friends” provides comfort to the listener while encouraging them to revisit those sentimental moments with a nostalgic smile.

Video found on YouTube.com under PoorMansPoison Channel from Friends With the Enemy (2011)

Numerous flavors can be detected in Booker’s Ronnie’s Batch, and while it is easy to note the sweet tones that make the drink shine, it is also grounded by the deep fruity and earthy essences. Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity” from his The Planets showcases these traits, with the high strings and woodwinds representing the sugars and the low strings and headstrong brass portray the depth and heat.

Video found on YouTube.com under Nicks Channel – Performance by James Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (2008)

NOSE:

This bourbon at first carries several sweet tones, notably caramel, marshmallow, and the artificial essence of cinnamon from Red Hots. However, the mellow scents of white bread and wine ground these strong sugars. There is also a hint of star anise, toffee, peanuts, black licorice, sweetened butter, and pastry that is laced with honey, much like the Latin-American dessert, sopapillas. Fruity aromas, such as apricot jam, grilled pineapples, figs, marmalade, granny smith apples, and rainier cherries counter the other sweet flavors. It is also worth mentioning that herbs and other earthy scents balance the other notes in the dram, and these include dry grass, soil, spear mint, dust, petrichor (the smell of rain), and bibliosmia (the smell of books).

PALATE:

Feel: The dram is thick, dry, and hot as it settles comfortably in the chest.

Balance: Everything within the drink blends incredibly well, almost to where discerning distinct flavors is difficult.

Visual: The color is mahogany, and there is a defined crown with long legs that stick to the glass

The bourbon carries a more nutty and fruity tone with subtle hints of the sweet flavors listed above. Honey, sopapillas, marshmallow, peanuts, soil, apples, marmalade, butter, and caramel once again can be detected in the taste. Other flavors, while subtle, shine through in the drink, which include notes of artificial grape essence, sunflower seeds, vanilla, pear, banana bread, poppyseed, maraschino and bing cherries, charred oak and graham cracker.

Some bourbons in my experience have differing scents and palates, which can strongly affect how I like them. I am a person who usually wants to be able to taste the flavors that I get in the nose, and if I come across one that has a strong difference in aroma and taste, I will most likely not gravitate towards it. This, fortunately, cannot be said about Booker’s Ronnie’s Batch because I was able to find numerous connections between the taste and aroma. Because of this, I was easily able to enjoy this sweet beverage.

FINISH:

The dram has a long finish in both the palate and the feel. Peanuts, apricots, cherries, charred oak, grassy herbs, and a surprising hint of boiled chicken linger in the mouth. It settles snugly in the chest and warns of the possibility of a Kentucky hug if not taken seriously. After a Kentucky chew, hints of warm, sweet sugar and brine present themselves for a generous second before returning to the finishing flavors.

BUY AGAIN/WORTH THE PRICE?

I personally enjoyed Booker’s Ronnie’s Batch because of the plethora of flavors I was able to detect in both the nose and palate. While $90 may seem like an expensive purchase, I would say that it is worth it and should be included in a bourbon collection. Therefore, I would be more than happy to buy it again.

ELORA AND BOOKER’S 2022-01 RONNIE’S BATCH RATING: 92/100

To access other whiskies from this brand, click Booker’s.

Music has always been a part of my life, whether I am playing or listening to it. Since I started appreciating bourbon, I have been trying to think of possible songs that would be compatible with the dram. There isn’t a single genre that I gravitate to the most, but there are several songs that I love. As a new reviewer to Whiskey for the Ages, I want to be able to provide at least a couple of musical excerpts; one will be representing my musical career in a classical setting, and the other will be from more mainstream genres. I hope you’re able to enjoy these bourbons with my music selections!

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The Sip – Whiskey Articles

Elora and Booker’s 2022-01 Ronnie’s Batch
written June 2022 by Elora Dawson
Writer, WhiskeyfortheAges.com