Whiskey Review: Vikre Distillery Northern Courage Smokey Rye

If the spirit’s aroma didn’t have enough time over two years to meld, its taste on the palate certainly did. Immediately, a soft wave of vanilla cascades over my palate in perfect proportion. There is a sweetness to back it up, and that husky, dirty slice-of-earth that is rye appears as the sweetness fades to lend a zippy contrast to the initial desserty profile. The dose of smoked malt shows its attributes on the midpalate on the third or fourth sip, appearing more as an acrid, ashy aftertaste than the more fully realized flavor of smoke (think BBQ), but subtle enough not to negatively affect the overall taste experience. Final Thoughts and Score: One of the more interesting smoke and rye pairings I’ve encountered. What it lacks in aroma, it more than makes up for in a cavalier mish-mash of flavors that work well together, and continue to evolve and change in surprising fashion as the whiskey breathes. This is one whiskey that I’ll share with engaged whiskey friends instead of hoard for myself. It’s a shelf novelty, a rye oddity, and an odd bird for sure, but one which will both inspire conversation and open the minds of more conventional whiskey drinkers.