I’d like to thank the producer and their PR team for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
It has been two thousand six hundred and forty-four days since I last reviewed Union Horse Reunion Rye and Reserve Bourbon. Just over seven years. It was one of the very first review samples I accepted, and I mostly did it because I got an interview filled with reader questions out of the deal. At the time I stated of the rye:
This is one where it had to grow on me. In my initial tasting, I felt it tasted a bit young. After spending almost a month with it, I've warmed up to it. This certainly is a unique whiskey and is outside the normal American Straight Rye flavor profile, which threw me at first. But I've come around.
And of the bourbon:
I am not a fan of smoky whiskey. I can appreciate it, but seldom like it if it is too pronounced. In this case, the smoke flavors are just light enough that it doesn't bother me too much. My wife on the other hand likes this a lot and has been the primary consumer of the bottle above.
I can tell you right now that in the intervening years, one of my reservations about the whiskeys has been addressed. They are no longer two years old, instead landing in the four- to five-year-old range. It looks like they still use no malted grains in the mash, instead using commercial enzymes to accomplish the starch-to-sugar transformation (which I think is pretty cool). And the bottles still look very nice.
But most importantly, do they taste better than they did seven years ago? We will start with the Rye first.
Union Horse Reunion Straight Rye Whiskey
Purchase Price: This review sample was provided at no cost by the producer for review purposes. The suggested price is $45.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.00
Details: 100% Rye. 46.5% ABV. 4-5 years old. Batch 43. Barreled at 110° proof
Nose: Cedar, cinnamon, mint, and just a hint of smoke.
Mouth: Cedar, mint, cinnamon, ginger, clove, honey, caramel, and a hint of cocoa.
Finish: Warm and on the longer side of medium length. Notes of chocolate, cedar, and cinnamon.
Thoughts: Vibrant, sweet, complex. I'm really enjoying this. It needs no water and I’m enjoying the heck out of it neat. It also makes a mean Sazerac.
Union Horse Reserve Bourbon
Purchase Price: This review sample was provided at no cost by the producer for review purposes. The suggested price is $41.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.73
Details: 46% ABV. 4-5 years old. Batch 64.
Nose: Cinnamon, maple, cedar, and toffee.
Mouth: Cinnamon candies, cedar, clove, toffee, and dried grains.
Finish: Medium length and warmth. Notes of cinnamon, clove, and cedar.
Thoughts: Spicy and flavorful with a lot of baking spices. The finish has a nice burn but isn't hot by any means. It doesn't have your stereotypical bourbon flavor profile, but that's kinda what I like about it. And even better, at least for me personally, I detect almost no hint of smoke, even though it is listed in their official tasting notes.
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