Whiskey Review: Corsair Ryemageddon Whiskey

I’m truly so overwhelmed by the aroma that the flavor comes across as a bit vague, indistinct. It’s not quite as sweet or floral or chocolaty as the scent suggests, though those notes are still present. I taste cinnamon, butter, toast, cloves, black pepper, and peat smoke (from the malted rye, I assume). It offers a wonderfully balanced mouthfeel and tingle without overwhelming spiciness or burn. I’m grateful that the chocolate flavor is detectable but very subtle. That gentle rye fire stays put in the mouth and lingers, but not too long. No off-notes in the aftertaste. Conclusion: If I strip away all the other factors that might skew my opinion—the comically horrific aesthetic taste of the brand designers, the other lines of remarkably clever but sometimes poorly executed whiskeys in Corsair’s portfolio, the desire to love a hometown hero—I’m left with a unique rye unlike any I’ve had before that is, believe it or not, also quite pleasant, especially on the nose. This is a bottle I would pick up again any day. The aroma is simply remarkable and a worthwhile experience all on its own. The flavor doesn’t meet that high bar, but I don’t know what would. FINAL SCORE: 89/100