High West Rendezvous Rye ex-bourbon [Mystery]

Thanks to /u/Ethanized for sending me these mystery samples.

We’re onto the second of the mystery samples, each named after Ethanized wandered into the wilderness, not to be seen for not but 20 minutes, coming out with peace and a sad look, extolling the wisdom he had learned: “Bug bites itch”.

A man of few words, he spread this knowledge onto me, in the only way he knows (barring interpretive dance): Mystery samples.

This is the second. The first was a brandy, and therefore my soul is stained forever. Let’s see if I can come close on figuring out Sunny Meadow.

Price: N/A at the LCBO

Region: Utah

Cask Types: Virgin oak, then finished in ex-bourbon barrels for 2.5 years

Barrel # 956

Abv: 53.5%

Colour: 2.5YR 5/10

Nose: Caramel, butter, dead leaves, nutmeg, malt, nectarine

Hmm, definitely a bourbon. There’s a distinct vegetal note. No orange, no rye spice, and only a little orange.

Nice caramel, distinct notes throughout, more malt than normal. The fact the nectarine shows up late makes me think it’s not a rye.

Going to go out on a limb and think this is not a rye (wow I’m wrong).

Taste: Candy floss, floral, lots of caramel, oak

Lots of caramel, and some floral notes. I’m going to choose to completely note the floral element and keep up with my original thought. Because why change with mounting evidence?

I mean, if it works for POTUS, why not do it myself?

Very heavy on the caramel here. That was a major hint, looking at it in retrospect. Woops.

Finish: Peach, sprity, chocolate caramel, oak, floral

Nice strong notes on the finish. Yes, I’m still ignoring floral aspect, why do you ask?

The caramel is more balanced, there’s some chocolate here too. Hard to separate the two, which is good cause I like Caramilk. Nice finish, little bit spicey, but again not enough for me to think it’s a rye.

Conclusion: So it’s a rye. What a surprise to no one other than me. Honestly thought it was a wheater. Doesn’t taste like it’s full proof.

Overall this has some interesting flavours, however I think it was left in the ex-Bourbon cask way too long. It’s taken over a lot of the parts that make this a rye save for some spots on the outside. Granted in hindsight I should have said it had some rye in, but I honestly didn’t even think it had any given what the ex-bourbon cask influenced on this.

So it’s nice, but I think there’s better out there.

81/100

Guess: Wheater bourbon, 40-46%. Dry Fly? Part of me thought the floral was rye based, but was totally thrown off by the lack of spice or orange

Actually: High West Rendezvous Rye Binny’s ex-Bourbon

Bourbon review #199, Utah review #16, Whiskey Network review #1170