Whiskey Review: Bear Creek Distillery Rye Whiskey

Initial palate hit is extremely bitter with lingering buttery notes. The rye character is not quite as peppery as expected; instead it starts with a fiery astringency and leads in to a burnt sugar-laden finish. Burnt caramel, peanut butter, and green, grassy, plant-like notes round out the taste experience here. A bit of sweetness would go a long way to balance out the overall straight sipping enjoyment here, however the drier profile makes it a great candidate for Old Fashioneds, as their website suggests. Final Thoughts: Someone put a lot of love and care in to this rye, and the breadth of flavor surely indicates that. However balance is lacking, which seriously limits the applications of a $62 bottle of whiskey. I feel guilty mixing it, yet I feel unsatisfied drinking it neat, or even with a splash or cube. Only time will tell, and a more delicately balanced hand will encourage this new offering to improve over their initial growth period. More barrels will allow the distillers here to choose single barrel releases based on cohesiveness instead of brash boldness and unexpected flavors. On my list to revisit future batches, as it should be on yours. Score: 80/100 [SHOP FOR A BOTTLE OF BEAR CREEK DISTILLERY RYE WHISKEY]