Old Overholt and Old GrandDad live in the same space in my mind. If you asked me to describe a hypothetical Old GrandDad Rye, it would be Old Overholt. They are both BeamSuntory brands that were purchased back when Beam swallowed National Distillers back in the 1980s. They were both pretty well ignored for a very long time with only sporadic marketing pushes. Both of the standard releases were 80 proof and bottom-shelf. Though Old GrandDad had a bonded release. Eventually, Old Overholt did as well. And for both of them, the Bonded was hands down better than the standard release.
Until very recently, one difference between the two was that Old GrandDad also had fan-favorite Old GrandDad 114. Something that until a couple of months ago, Old Overholt did not have. But now in addition to the new 114° proof release, Old Overholt Rye is getting a well-deserved push from owner BeamSuntory. The branding has been updated for the entire line. And even more exciting, the standard release got a proof bump from 80° proof to 86° proof.
Old Overholt used to be something that was easy to ignore. The 80 proof was a meh at best. After tasting all three over the weekend (114, Bonded, and the new 86° proof) I have to say I like where the brand is heading.
Old Overholt 114 proof
Purchase Info: $32.99 per bottle for a 750mL bottle, Ace Spirits, Hopkins, MN
Price per Drink (50mL): $2.20
Details: 4 years old. 57% ABV. Non-chill filtered.
Nose: Mint, savory herbs, vanilla, cherry.
Mouth: Starts with a nice spicy heat. Cinnamon, mint, weak black tea, and a touch of lemon zest.
Finish: Warm and on the longer side of medium length. Lingering notes of cinnamon and mint.
Thoughts: I really like this one. It is warm and spicy with a nice finish. Sippable neat, even at 114° proof. I didn't care for it in rye cocktails, but it added a nice spice to traditional bourbon cocktails. All in all, this is a very tasty whiskey.
Comparison to Bonded: The noses are basically identical. 114 is hotter and spicier on the mouth, the Bonded is sweeter. Both very good though.
Comparison to 86 proof: The noses are similar with 114 just being "more so." There is a big difference on the mouths, as you might have guessed. 114 is thicker in mouthfeel. It is warmer and spicier in the mouth, with more concentrated flavors. The new 86° proof is better than I remember the old 80° proof being, but it doesn't hold a candle to its higher proof siblings.
UPDATE: This post originally stated that the new 86° proof version had received an age bump because I’m a dumbass who apparently overlooks big BOLD type stating the words “THREE YEARS OLD” while looking for tiny type that says 36 months. Lol. Anyway that’s been fixed now.
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