Whiskey Reviews: Stoll & Wolfe Distillery

The expected wave of rye spice hits you right away, but it smooths out quickly. It goes down easily for a whiskey with so much spice up front. It helps that there’s a sweetness underneath, with citrus undertones and hints of something nutty. Final Thoughts: The Stoll & Wolfe rye, Avianna says, is “somewhere between a Kentucky rye and a western-Pennsylvania rye.” It’s aged in a combination of 30-gallon and 53-gallon barrels – with the larger barrels also having a deeper char. Whatever it is, it drinks well neat. Score: 3.5/5 Tasting Notes: Cask Strength Stoll & Wolfe Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey (Barrel 211) Vital Stats: Aged three years; single barrel; 105 proof/52.5% ABV; $69.99 for a 750ml bottle. Appearance: Amber, strawberry blonde Nose: Orange bitters, honey, spicy-sweet cloves, soggy oak, powdered sugar. Palate: Like the lower-proof version, this one hits you in the mouth immediately with rye spiciness. But it, too, smooths out into a nice, long finish. I taste green peppercorn on the tip of my tongue, almonds, allspice and warm gingerbread cake. Final Thoughts: If you have a hankering for rye, this would be a nice daily drinker. It’s smooth and straightforward, but with enough personality to keep you coming back. I have a bias toward high-proof whiskies, and I’d pay $20 extra to get the higher-proof version of this one. With just the tiniest splash of water, it opens up nicely and drinks easily. Score: 4/5 Tasting Notes: Stoll & Wolfe Bourbon and Rye Blend (Batch 14) Vital Stats: 80% bourbon aged for 5 years and 20% rye aged 3 years; 86 proof/43% ABV; $59.99 for a 750 ml bottle. Appearance: dirty straw Nose: Definitely get the corn smell in this one that you don’t in the ryes. Also butterscotch, hints of vanilla and maple syrup. Palate: There’s something interesting going on here, but I don’t love it the same way I do the ryes. It doesn’t give me the deep corn sweetness I want in a bourbon, and isn’t distinctive enough in its rye undertones to get my mouth watering. It starts off light, and eventually offers a little heat at the back of the throat. Final Thoughts: There are plenty of high-rye bourbons I enjoy. This one appears to be neither fish nor fowl, however. It doesn’t offer enough of the bourbon sweetness or the rye spiciness I was really hoping to find. That doesn’t mean I didn’t happily drink it, just that I didn’t enjoy it as much as the Stoll & Wolfe ryes. Score: 3/5