I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Ross & Squibb Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
Well, hello there, neighbor. I was just sitting down to learn more about Ross & Squibb’s latest rye. Would you like to learn about it, too?
Ok, that’s enough with the Mr. Rogers thing. So, I’m still working my way through the massive number of samples that arrived while I was on vacation, and the next on the docket is one of a couple from Ross & Squibb, formerly known as the retail brand portion of MGP.
Rossville Union Bottled-in-Bond is a six-year-old Bonded Rye distilled in March 2017. It uses their 51% rye / 49% malted barley mash bill. They produced 3,000 6-bottle cases. And the suggested retail price is $49.99. Quoting from the Press Release:
“I’m proud to continue Ross & Squibb’s tradition of creating high-quality rye whiskey that dates back to 1847. Since that time, we have worked to perfect our craft, giving our rye whiskeys unmatched character,” said [Master Distiller Ian] Stirsman. “For our Rossville Union Bottled in Bond Straight Rye Whiskey we combined our industry leading rye expertise with a new high malt mashbill to create something truly special. We then let the barrels mature for a minimum of 6 years, resulting in aromas of sweet malt, dark chocolate, raisin and saddle leather with tasting notes highlighted by caramel and mocha with a rich, candied-fruit body, followed by a slight green-apple, malted-chocolate and cinnamon finish.”
So, they mention that this is a new mash bill. Looking back on past reviews that I’ve done for Rossville Union, I see that I mentioned this mash bill, as an aside, back in 2018 when I reviewed my first bottle from the brand. But I no longer see it on the MGP product sheet, so either they stopped making it and are using up the stocks or pulled it for in-house use. After tasting it, I’m guessing the latter, but that is just a guess.
Now onto the important part, how does it taste?
Rossville Union Bottled in Bond Straight Rye Whiskey, 2023
Purchase Info: This sample bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $49.99
Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.33
Details: 50% ABV. 6 years old. Mash bill: 51% rye, 49% malted barley.
Nose: Cedar, spearmint, and a touch of vanilla.
Mouth: Sweet and spicy with notes of spearmint, caramel, oak, stone fruits, apple, and cinnamon.
Finish: Sweet, warm, and long with notes of spearmint, cinnamon, and stone fruit.
Thoughts: With just rye and malted barley, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. Corn can help add a nicer mouthfeel to a rye, and I wondered if this would be an issue here. But nothing to worry about in that respect. This is a pretty damn good rye! I'm enjoying the heck out of it. It’s sweet and spicy with a very prominent spearmint note. It has really nice fruit notes. If you like a well-balanced rye, pick this one up. $50 for a limited release is a pretty good price.
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