Sweet, oaky, cherry bark, cinnamon, and powdered ginger. Palate: Hoo boy! That is quite strong. Really, really strong. Hot in the mouth, cinnamon and pepper on the finish. Get this girl an ice cube. I tried drinking it so less of it touched my lips, because I was reaching for the Blistex to cool ‘em down. Final Thoughts/Score: 82/100 Well, it sure packs the proverbial punch. The heat lingers. And yet sure, it’s hot and it burns somewhat, but it’s…dareisay, fun? This rye is like that friend whose parties you aren’t so sure about, but then you show up and have a fantastic time. Then again, it’s not difficult to have a fantastic time when you have this much alcohol. Did I mention this was strong? Redemption Aged Barrel Proof Straight Rye: 8 Years Vital stats: This is 122.5 proof and costs about $100. Color: Orangey red, rusty. Nose: Very different than the 7-year: Orange peel, chocolate-dipped candied oranges, caramel. Palate: This is much more easy-drinking than the 7-year—if easy-drinking can be applied to a 100+ proof whiskey. While I got a similar peppery burn, far less heat came through, instead replaced by a sweetness that was in no way saccharine. Final Thoughts/Score: 87/100 I enjoyed this; it has a sweet, oaky finish. It has the creamy mouth feel of a cube of good chocolate, with notes of root beer on the finish, too. (This combination is better than it sounds, I swear.) Flavor is present…not just heat. I would have no problem sipping on this all night. Or at least once or twice. Redemption Redemption Aged Barrel Proof Straight Rye: 10 Years Vital stats: 110.1 proof, and $130. Also, what happened to the 9-year? Was there a 9-year? Did 7 ate 9? (I kill me.) Color: Alder; the color of a shiny acoustic guitar. Nose: Leather, new shoes, forest floor, browned butter, that buttery first pancake when it hits the grill, walnuts.
Hoo boy! That is quite strong. Really, really strong. Hot in the mouth, cinnamon and pepper on the finish. Get this girl an ice cube. I tried drinking it so less of it touched my lips, because I was reaching for the Blistex to cool ‘em down. Final Thoughts/Score: 82/100 Well, it sure packs the proverbial punch. The heat lingers. And yet sure, it’s hot and it burns somewhat, but it’s…dareisay, fun? This rye is like that friend whose parties you aren’t so sure about, but then you show up and have a fantastic time. Then again, it’s not difficult to have a fantastic time when you have this much alcohol. Did I mention this was strong? Redemption Aged Barrel Proof Straight Rye: 8 Years Vital stats: This is 122.5 proof and costs about $100. Color: Orangey red, rusty. Nose: Very different than the 7-year: Orange peel, chocolate-dipped candied oranges, caramel. Palate: This is much more easy-drinking than the 7-year—if easy-drinking can be applied to a 100+ proof whiskey. While I got a similar peppery burn, far less heat came through, instead replaced by a sweetness that was in no way saccharine. Final Thoughts/Score: 87/100 I enjoyed this; it has a sweet, oaky finish. It has the creamy mouth feel of a cube of good chocolate, with notes of root beer on the finish, too. (This combination is better than it sounds, I swear.) Flavor is present…not just heat. I would have no problem sipping on this all night. Or at least once or twice. Redemption Redemption Aged Barrel Proof Straight Rye: 10 Years Vital stats: 110.1 proof, and $130. Also, what happened to the 9-year? Was there a 9-year? Did 7 ate 9? (I kill me.) Color: Alder; the color of a shiny acoustic guitar. Nose: Leather, new shoes, forest floor, browned butter, that buttery first pancake when it hits the grill, walnuts. Palate: I got some pepper and cloves, like whiskey-soaked holiday cakes. This is very over the top and indulgent. I actually like the 8-year better; there was more sweetness and nuance to it. This is a solid offering, but it’s not to my palate as much as the 8-year. It kind of screams “HOLIDAYS!!” Final Thoughts/Score: 85/100 The finish is a little astringent. Also, it does have some burn—more than the 8-year, but not as much as the too-powerful 7-year. It’s good, but honestly, I’d be happy to save a couple bucks and just go with the happy medium of the 8-year out of these three.
