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Whiskey Review: New England Distillery’s Gunpowder Rye Whiskey

We review Gunpowder Rye, a Maryland-style rye from New England Distillery in Portland, Maine.

OVERALL RATING

8
$45.99
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Tasting Notes

About:

Appearance:
While Gunpowder Rye looks like a darker whiskey in the bottle, perhaps due to the bottle’s more unusual, though chic, rectangular design, in the glass it appears like a fairly average amber.
Nose:
For this one, I encountered a great example of how the aromas can be dramatically different depending on what you’re drinking (or sniffing) from. While catching a whiff out of the bottle took me to a campfire – vanilla, toasted marshmallow and a hint of smoke – in the glass (I typically use a Glencairn glass), it took on a far less sweet scent. Initially, there’s a faint scent of vanilla with notes of clove and nutmeg, but that transitions to a wood-dominated bouquet, mostly oak with a blend of tropical sandalwood, smoke and spices.
Palate:
Gunpowder Rye slied onto the tongue like simple syrup – sweet, smooth and fairly nondescript. However, after the flavor very gradually builds in complexity as it sits on the tongue, some of the flavors in the nose slowly work their way onto the palate, first with a slightly smoky vanilla, then cloves, then nutmeg, and a touch of oaky smoke. Swallowing leaves an earthy, smoky vanilla flavor that tingles the tongue like cloves and faint base of rye. Final Thoughts: While I was a little skeptical at the first sniff and first taste, Gunpowder Rye won me over with its complex blend of sweet, earthy and spicy flavors that build on one another like a musical canon in the mouth. It’s still not the most complex whiskey I’ve tasted, but it’s certainly worth a spot in my whiskey collection. Score
Finish:
Comments:

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Aaron Knapp

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