Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky Impressions

What is it? 

Distillery: Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., Kentucky, USA

Name: Rittenhouse Straight Rye

Make: 100% Rye Whisky Bottled-in-Bond

Extra Info: Bottled-In-Bond means that this whisky conforms with the US Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. To comply with the Act, whisky must be at least 4-years old, bottled at 100 Proof (50% ABV), have no additives other than pure water and be the product of a single distillery.

Why did I buy it?

I bought this for two reasons, it's a 100% rye whiskey (although spelt without the 'e' just to be confusing) and it is bottled-in-bond.

What did I think of it?

Presentation: I feel the Rittenhouse Rye comes in about half way between a cool Wild West style and a more modern design. The bottle is a simple clear glass design with a plastic screw top. The label is red and black, diamond-shaped, with a prominent 'Bottled-in-Bond' statement at the base that is repeated on the neck seal.

Appearance: Dark amber with a red tinge.

Aroma: Fresh smelling, almost cooling on the nose like menthol, stone fruits, peach and apricot perhaps, oak.

Flavour: Light, some sweetness, quite smooth, stone fruits, vanilla, pepper spice. Quite different to malt whisky, hard to describe.

Finish: Medium length, spicy, odd aftertaste.

Would I buy it again?

Yes, rye whisky is quite popular at the moment but it is very different to malt whisky. I would like to come back to this some time after I have tried more rye whiskies and bourbons. This is quite an easy whisky to drink but it takes some getting used to. You may prefer to try it over ice or with a mixer. I still prefer a single malt scotch or good quality scotch blend but I think rye whisky is a taste I could learn to love in time.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to have the nose and palate of a Master Sommelier, however, I am working to train my senses to better identify whisky aromas and flavours. Consider all my whisky 'Impressions' to be a work in progress and I hope to come back to each of them in the future to see if I notice anything different. Most importantly, I'm not just throwing around random aromas, flavours and adjectives for the hell of it; I am trying really hard to critically describe each whisky I taste - WhiskyDad.