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Whiskey Review: Templeton 10-Year Reserve Single Barrel Rye

We review Templeton 10-Year Reserve Single Barrel Rye. It's a straight rye bottled at 104 proof.

OVERALL RATING

8
$85.00
  • Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer.
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Templeton 10-Year Reserve Single Barrel Rye (photo via Debbie Nelson)

Tasting Notes

About:

Mash bill undisclosed, but has to be at least 51% rye; bottled at 104 proof/52% alcohol by volume; aged in charred, new American oak; MSRP of $85 for a 750ml bottle.
Appearance:
This is dark whiskey, befitting something that spent 10 years in new oak. Deep amber. Solid legs on the side of a glass.
Nose:
Even after half an hour, this is boozy in my Glencairn. But there’s a sweetness and a gentle spiciness underneath the ethanol. I smell cinnamon, chocolate orange jelly sticks and a whiff of raspberry habanero sauce. What I don’t smell is traditional rye grass. Seems like a decade in the barrel has been a stronger influence than the rye, in this case.
Palate:
The first wave of flavor is dark chocolate and caramelized figs. The barrel comes through strongly again here, as it did on the nose. The rye is present too, but it’s not overwhelming and it’s not particularly reminiscent of the herbal or grassy flavors I often associate with ryes. In the mid-palate, I found a surprising spoonful of chocolate chip mint ice cream followed by a long, warm, charred-oak finish. A splash of water really helped open up this rye, mellowing it and rounding it out nicely.
Finish:
Comments:
Templeton did a 10-year Special Reserve a few years ago. But that wasn’t a straight rye, it wasn’t a permanent addition to the lineup and it was stupid expensive. This new offering isn’t cheap either, at $85. But for a 10-year MGP rye, that’s not an outrageous price point. Templeton’s new bottle and label design is sharp, and the whiskey inside is darned good. It has a lush mouthfeel, living up to the barrel proof designation, and leaves me ready for another pour.rn

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.

Scott Bernard Nelson

Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer based in Portland, Oregon. While currently working in higher education, he previously dedicated 22 years to journalism, covering impactful events such as 9/11 in Manhattan, crossing into Iraq with U.S. Marines, and contributing to The Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of abuse in the Catholic Church, which inspired the film "Spotlight." Since 2019, Scott has shared his insights as a whiskey reviewer for The Whiskey Wash.  

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