Whiskey Review: Templeton Rye Special Reserve 10-Year-Old

Also quite fruity, and a notch brighter than the nose, more like fresh cherries than cooked ones. At the mid-palate, warm spice is the predominant character. At the back, a strong, dusty wood note comes in, and as I keep sipping, wood is the main thing I taste. Final Thoughts and Score: On the nose, Templeton Rye Special Reserve bursts invitingly with tasty fruit notes, and the palate is quite approachable: The spice here is the baking spice kind, not the peppery hot kind. That pervasive woody undertone, though, dulls everything down disappointingly. I try to make a habit of not reading anything about a whiskey until after I’ve tasted it. After I sampled this one, I took a look at our November post announcing its release, and I could only laugh. On one hand, this is not a $150 whiskey. On the other, of course it’s a $150 whiskey. You don’t put a latch like that on a commemorative wooden box that has anything cheaper in it. This rye is a fine whiskey for everyday drinking or mixing, but at that price point, I’d expect a lot more.