Whiskey Review: 45th Parallel Distillery New Richmond Rye

Gentle spice fills and coats the mouth, with a pleasant warmth that lingers after swallowing. Notes of flambeed banana give way to a soft, slightly spearminty coolness. An aftertaste of a very dark honey comes through, but without any overt sweetness. Final Thoughts and Score: Off-dry and simple without being one-note, this quite enjoyable rye is an easy neat sipper. Adding a rock or two of course cools the temperature of the liquid, yet somehow also brings out a bit more bite in the spice. And, simple though it may be, New Richmond Rye does have enough complexity and versatility to hold its own in a cocktail, like a rye Manhattan or perhaps in Wisconsin’s “unofficial” state cocktail.