American

15 Stars Founders Reserve Rye

$139

OVERALL
RATING

15 Stars Founders Reserve Rye Review

Name: 15 Stars Founders Reserve Rye Review
Item: 15 Stars Founders Reserve Rye
Rating: 8
Author: Charles Steele

15 Stars Founder's Reserve Rye is already racking up awards, but does it live up to the hype? Charles Steele's review explores what makes this standout rye worth your attention.

by Charles Steele
July 13, 2025

Charles Steele is an attorney and whiskey enthusiast with a penchant for the peculiar.

Tasting Notes:

About:

The newest expression from 15 Stars out of Kentucky. This is a limited release straight rye whiskey blended from various 14, 13, 9, and 8 year barrels. According to the media release, these barrels are selected from across Indiana, Tennessee, and of course Kentucky. This is a new brand, to me, but not to those embedded in the whiskey scene. 15 Stars gets its name from the Bluegrass State of Kentucky. Kentucky was the 15th state to join the Union of the U.S. Straight Rye is a resurgent type of whiskey. Almost completely forgotten about for decades, careful craftsmanship has brought rye back. Rye is brighter with stronger earth tones when compared to its counterpart Bourbon. It is a delightful style with merits and virtues all its own. It is heartening to see the category really blossom of late.

Appearance:

Burnt amber

Nose:

Raspberries in dark chocolate. It evolves into mint, honey, vanilla, graham cracker, almond extract and dark cherries. The nose is a sweet and complex dessert you don’t want to take away from your nose. The low ABV really helps amplify the sweeter aromas.

Palate:

Nice bite right at the front of the sip. We find orange, honey, toasted oak, vanilla bean, and whisps of caramel apples. The sip to start plays well off the nose but starts to darken as the taste evolves. We are always aware of the rye undertone complimenting the sweeter notes. We end with savory earth notes.

Finish:

Long and fiery at the finish. It has a lovely mouthfeel as it leaves traces of earthier notes of spices and cherry.

Comments:

This was a lot of fun. I went into this with zero expectations, knowing nothing of the brand prior to the tasting. I really appreciated the evolution of this whiskey through the tasting and at the finish. It is whiskey and worthy of appreciation.

This is a whiskey I would show off with a bit. It is off the beaten path, and I don’t think many enthusiasts are really going to reach for this on your bar cart. What I personally enjoyed was the ability to just let the sip exist and let the whiskey do the talking for you. It never felt like I had to work too hard to find enjoyable aspects of the glass.

While few things in life are perfect, the combo here is really classic and carefully crafted rye whiskey. If you like a good glass of rye, you’ll enjoy this.

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.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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