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Wildrye Distilling Bourbon Barrel Rye Review

Can Montana's most awarded distillery craft a rye that rivals the Pacific Northwest's best? Wildrye's Bourbon Barrel Rye punches well above its age statement.

OVERALL RATING

7
$62.70
  • Jeffrey Nitschke is a Portland-based attorney passionate about whiskey and cigars, with deep ties to the American whisky community and culture.
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Tasting Notes

About:

The United States Pacific Northwest is no stranger to good whiskey. States like Oregon and Washington have dozens of distilleries, many of which have received high acclaim. A lesser known, but no less quality, offering comes from the State of Montana, also in the PNW. Wildrye distilling was founded in 2013 and is Montana’s most awarded distillery, winning a total of 17 awards in 2025 and 30 national and regional medals overall.

This offering is their artisan crafted Bourbon Barrell Rye, which itself is a 2024 double gold winner from SIP Magazine. As the name covertly says, this is a rye whiskey, not a bourbon, but is aged in 2nd use bourbon barrels for at least 2 years before release. The distillery uses its own ex-bourbon barrels from it’s flagship Five Drops Montana Straight bourbon.
Appearance:
Rich orange marmalade with tints of red.
Nose:
Dry herbal rye notes manifest in green peppercorn and eucalyptus, with bread underneath and just a hint of ginger.
Palate:
Sweet candied sugar and caramel coat the tongue while spicy peppercorn and dry herbs float strongly on top. The classic rye core leads to a mouthful of hazelnuts, anise, cardamom, and ends on a soft pillow of oak and pepper.
Finish:
Bitter peppercorn, malt and black tea persist with notes of cinnamon.
Comments:
This whiskey is much smoother than expected, outperforming other young offerings. The substance of the dram also persists longer than expected, going through multiple flavor expressions before a soft settling. It is clearly a rye whiskey, but still pulls slightly sweeter notes from the bourbon barrel aging. I would love to see this expression aged in the bourbon barrels for a few years longer to give it a sweeter and and more complex profile.

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.

Jeffrey Nitschke

Jeffrey Nitschke is Portland area attorney whose career has dovetailed with a love of fine spirits and cigars. His hometown is rich with microdistilleries, which has afforded him the opportunity to learn the nuances of whiskey tasting and whiskey making. His writing and enthusiasm for the hobby has led to lasting friendships with other whiskey aficionados and connisures across the United States.

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