Editor’s Note: We received a review sample of this whiskey from the brand. However, in accordance with our editorial policies, this has not influenced the outcome of our review in any way.
The world of American independent bottlers and whiskey blenders is a still emerging trend in the greater world of all things whiskey in the United States. The primary focus in this niche category is an eclectic mix of individuals sourcing unique barrels from top craft distilleries across the country and releasing them under their label, often giving a distinct and transparent call out on the labeling to where the whiskey was sourced from.
While the best known of this category are the likes of Single Cask Nation and Lost Lantern, several small players also exist in the space. One of these is Two Souls Spirits, co-founded by James Estrada and Chad Civetti in 2021. Describing their single barrel releases as “big, bold, 100% uncut and unfiltered,” they’ve netted some awards for their products and most recently released a trio of expressions for their spring 2024 offerings.
What’s in the bottle
The whiskey being reviewed here, Two Souls Spirits 5-Year Dark Pumpernickel Rye featuring Middle West Spirits, “O-H-RYE-O,” is one of their spring 2024 releases and was sourced from Ohio-based Middle West Spirits. Distilled from a mash bill of 80% pumpernickel rye, 10% corn, 5% wheat, and 5% malted barley, this rye whiskey was laid down in February 2019 in a Speyside Cooperage, Char #3 barrel initially for four years. It was finished over 13 months in a Two Souls “hazmat” rye barrel (#YB1) from their inaugural release in Fall 2022. It was then put to bottle this past March with an age statement of just over five years.
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Bottled at 126.7 proof, this whiskey is priced at $94.99. It is named O-H-RYE-O as Two Souls describes this release as “being made from local grains and aged in Speyside barrels from Jackson, OH, this rye is perfectly Ohio.”
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