More to Enjoy
-
Intro:
Double finished in Rum & Madeira casks, this sourced rye comes to us from the Blackened label backed by Metallica. It's bottled at 45% ABV, has just released, and shores up a gap in their portfolio that was a curiosity to whiskey enthusiasts: last year's limited edition Rye release came before any standard rye bottling in the portfolio. This changes that - let's see how it is.
-
Nose:
Zesty, herbal and raw, it's definitely rye. Both Rum and Madeira can be heavy handed finishes, so it's encouraging to see bold rye power through and show its face. Sweet buttercream, honey, pepper, a touch of anise, brown sugar and oak.
-
Taste:
Sweet at first on the palate - the rum is more apparent here. Custard, nougat, brown sugar, a touch of waffle cone and some cracked pepper greet the palate before some rye spice, oak and a touch of jammy, spice driven Madeira swing in. Mouthfeel is moderate, certainly generous for the ABV, drinks very nicely on the palate.
-
Finish:
Short to medium finish here. Perhaps its weakest attribute, it still kicks nicely: blending bold rye, subtle oak, hefty brown sugar and some very faint rum and dessert notes.
-
Overall:
Overall, this is an easy favorite of mine over the standard Blackened whiskey, and it shows that how you finish your whiskey is just as important as how you make it. Sweet, spicy, herbal, oaky, complex: it's an impressive combination of flavors I honestly didn't expect to find in a meaningful way. Sip with satisfaction and rock on.
-
Score:
6
-
Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.
- Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources