Hannah’s Rittenhouse Straight Rye Review
Original review written April 20, 2021
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
It’s not a bad rye, and it is a solid one to finish the evening with, or a drink to pour when I’m not looking for anything complex. It’s one I’ll keep around. 85/100
VITALS:
– Made In: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Straight Rye Whiskey; Bottled-in-Bond
– Age: 4 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Rye=51%; Corn=35%; Malted Barley=14%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 50% (100 proof)
– Price: $24.95 USD in Idaho
Learn more at Rittenhouse Rye.
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this rye here!
SETTING:
While plain, I could easily see sipping this in the middle of spring, with nearby bushes and trees budding and just on the verge of blooming. The air is sweet and perhaps distracts from the simplicity that Rittenhouse Straight Rye offers. Bright colors of the blooms slowly come into vision as the sun gradually rises and shines down on the waiting nature.
Photo by Marita Mones on Unsplash
NOSE:
This has a soft earthy, woodiness upon the first inhales, but not in the traditional oak that you would think. Rather, it seems more like freshly broken twigs or even branches that are still green. There is a light apple here also, with a dash of cinnamon to bring out the sweetness of the fruit. I find a soft nuttiness as well, perhaps pecans, but it is quite subtle. There isn’t much in the way of other sweeteners, save maybe a light vanilla or simple syrup. Beyond the twiggy wood that I found on the first draws, there is a pine underneath it and all of the other flavors too. It’s not a heady pine, but it is like a dried out Christmas tree in your home.
The alcohol is a tickle in the nose, but it isn’t strong enough to be offensive, and you have to be breathing in fairly deep in order to catch it at all.
PALATE:
– Mouth Feel: Oily. But oily in a way that leaves me wanting more “oomf” or power that I’m not sure this rye can deliver.
– Balance: I don’t think anything sticks out awkwardly, so I’ll say it’s a decent balance.
– Visual: Honey in color, this has many fast-dropping legs that disappear quickly, but a crown lingers a bit longer with some clinging droplets.
– Taste: Soft grains are immediately apparent, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that it was rye. Nevertheless, the rye is here in the capacity of a rye bread, or maybe it’s that rye is interwoven in another bread with other grains too. There’s a fresh fruit that lightens up the sip right at the back of the palate. I get a pinch of the cinnamon, and maybe the faintest hint of white pepper for a spice. Other than that, I’d say that this is quite mildly flavored. If I’m looking for something to make this hardier or richer, and there just is not much there for that, but if I’m looking for simple and solid, this could be it.
The alcohol is certainly also mild and palatable, which is a bonus for something that is 100 proof. A Kentucky chew makes the rye bread pop a bit more, along with a light stone fruit, but it’s very subdued and disappears again quickly before I can identify it. And I find that a bitterness also comes about when I do this that confuses the palate slightly.
FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Medium. It leaves behind some warmth and mild aftertaste but not much else.
– Between Sips: There’s a little bitterness that lingers between sips. While it isn’t the worst pause between sips I’ve experienced with whiskey, it’s far from my favorite.
– No More: The bitterness I’ve mentioned before grows a bit as I get further into the glass. There is a sweet element that wants to come onto the scene also, but it is simply impossible around the bitterness and already present wood. Note that the wood – both twig, and straight up pine – have grown in intensity also. I will say that despite this growth in bitterness, I am finding myself growing fond of it, all the same.
The empty Glencairn has sweet oak with a tinge of fruit and plenty of warmth. I truly wish the pour itself had been closer to this; this would have been fantastic.
WORTH THE PRICE?
Not a bad price, and if I’m wanting something at the end of the night to not pack much of a punch, while not being bourbon, this would be it. I do quite like it, and the taste only continues to grow on me. At the inexpensive price, this is one I will look to keeping on hand.
RITTENHOUSE STRAIGHT RYE REVIEW RATING: 85/100
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