Whiskey Review: Russell's Reserve Rye

I fell prey to product placement. I was watching the excellent series Mad Men on AMC and the lead character drinks a lot of Rye whiskey (almost every scene!). I was curious to see what is so special about Rye whiskies. They may have just picked Rye as this character's drink to show how unique he is, but hey its worth a shot right?! So I picked up a Russell's Reserve Rye Small Batch 6 Year Whiskey and I am so glad I did.

Color: tawny gold
Nose: honey sweet, almonds, rye 
Body: medium and mouth watering
Palate: honey and sweet bread, smoked rye, allspice
Finish: long sharp and bitey, warm and full of a nice smoked taste


This was excellent! It was very similar to a sweet bourbon but the unique tastes of the rye really made a statement. The rye added a nutty taste and a whole new level of complexity. That is hard to find in some bourbons. It was surprisingly smooth, especially for a 90 proof whiskey. I am not saying it didn't bite. It definitely had a sharp alcohol bite, but it was handled nicely and wasn't as bad as one would expect. I was thoroughly impressed. As a matter of fact this is my favorite bourbon so far Good thing I am a sucker for marketing. Overall I give this whiskey a strong 7 of 10. I will always keep this in my whiskey cabinet and you should too!


Question for YOU: What is your Rye of choice?