1792 - High Rye

Nose: This had a much lighter nose than I expected. It is a very neutral “bourbon” smell with just a hint of its rye content, which actually smells more like rye bread. I also picked up some light fruitiness. Palate: Well, the name says “High Rye”, so it is hard not to expect to taste rye on the palate. And….you do. But, surprisingly, it wasn’t nearly as spicy as I thought it would be. I found it to be very well balanced. There is just the right amount of sweetness to balance the spice. The mouthfeel is in the medium range, but very nice. There isn’t a whole lot of heat in this, but a little bit does sneak in a little at the finish. It is a pleasant warming. The finish is on the shorter side of medium, so it vanishes relatively quickly and then leaves behind some rye spice aftertaste. I had a really hard time picking out any other specific flavors, but I don’t think it is because the rye overpowers. I think it is because the balance of flavors is spot on. Comments: I have to say that this one really surprised me. My preference is sweeter bourbons (and this has a more sweetness to it than I expected), but I also like rye in my bourbon and I also like straight ryes. I really liked this because of the balance. Even if you don’t like a lot of rye in your bourbon, I think you can enjoy this. It probably won’t be your favorite, but it is very drinkable. If you do like rye in your bourbon, I think this is a really nice sipper. There’s nothing earth shattering going on, but for the money, this is very nice. Like some of the 1792 products, this is a limited edition release. Which means, it is probably going to be hard to find….unless you want to pay more on the secondary market. There is some indication that this was supposed to come out every year…..but I have not been able to confirm that (but…I’m lazy, so I didn’t REALLY look all that hard).) If that is the case…..take a chance and buy a bottle! This version came out in 2016 and it is an 8 year old (nice sweet spot!). It is 94.3 proof, which actually seems just right for this one. Like most of 1792 products, this wasn’t crazy expensive and it is one that I wished I had bought more than one bottle. The lesson here is…..IF you buy a bottle like this, taste it as soon as possible and IF it is this good…..go back and…..BUY MORE!! I believe this cost me somewhere in the mid $30’s range and I think that it was a good bargain for something a little different. I don’t think you will be disappointed.