Rieger's Kansas City Whiskey

Nose: Sweet and candy-like. Lots of cinnamon and caramel and some vanilla. It has a very traditional bourbon smell, even though it is not a bourbon. It is a pleasure to sniff. Palate: The first sip didn’t bring up nearly as much sweetness as I was expecting from the nose, but it is there. It has a medium mouthfeel and a long finish. The finish isn’t super intense, but it seemed to last quite a while, with the warming very slowly growing in intensity until it finally backs off. It is not harsh or burning, but has a decent amount of warmth to it. On the second sip, I got some rye spice and then a big blast of pepper. The pepper was part of that long finish. On the third sip, I started to notice more of the sweetness coming out. This may be, perhaps, because I was getting used to the significant finish? Comments: Kansas City Whiskey? What? Yeah, as far as I can tell, this is the only one. I like it. It doesn’t try to be a bourbon and it isn’t. It has a unique taste that is different enough from everyone else as to be noteworthy. It isn’t super complex but there is enough going on that it will make you say, “Hey, I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything like this before.” It is 92 proof and I think the finish is definitely evidence of that, but not in a bad way. The Rieger name actually has a very long history. J. Rieger & Co is a distillery that was established in 1887. The name was resurrected in 2010 by a descendant of the original distiller, partnered with a guy who is a hotel/restaurant owner. The whiskey is sourced in Indiana and consists of “corn & malt light whiskey and a straight rye, both aged for a minimum of 7 years. To this, 15 year old Oloroso Sherry is added, not exceeding 2.5% of the volume (a common occurrence in American whiskey in the 1880’s, but which fell out of favor after Prohibition)”. [NOTE: I think it is that Sherry that gives it that great nose and the overall sweetness you pick up. The fact that it is sourced in Indiana and is blended with rye would explain the rye spice I picked up. I’d say it is blended well, because neither the rye nor the sweetness overwhelm the other. They compliment each other nicely.’] The bottom line on this is that I think it is definitely worth a try. Put it on your “wanna try at the Flying Aces” if you want to try before you buy. I can’t remember what I paid for this, but I don’t think it was crazy expensive…..maybe in the $30’s range?