Damaged Barrel Heresy Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Evaluation

Legal necessities deem that there’s just one approach to age an American rye, and that’s in new charred oak casks. However Damaged Barrel appears to have discovered one other manner.

The corporate, which distills its whiskeys at Kentucky’s Owensburg Distilling Co., breaks the mould by getting older its ryes and bourbons historically earlier than including their namesake addition—damaged barrel staves.

Within the case of their Heresy straight rye whiskey, which counts itself among the many label’s core portfolio, a straight rye whiskey composed of 95% rye and 5% malt that has already spent two years in oak is added to a big tank. There it’s joined by damaged staves pulled from a mixture of ex-bourbon, new French oak, and sherry casks for additional getting older and flavoring earlier than being bottled at a heady 105 proof. 

On the nostril it proves earthy, dusty, even a little bit musty—as should you’re getting proper to the heart of the barrel (or the barrel staves). This may out me as a bibliophile, but it surely additionally recalled the actual scent of cracking open the stiff binding of a dusty e-book pulled from a library shelf.

Damaged Barrel Heresy is sizzling on the palate with a sticky, strong, and darkish notice of figs adopted by brown sugar. It will get hotter and woodier as we march on, hitting leather-based and cigar field on the middle accented by candy cherries, placing one within the thoughts of cherry-flavored pipe tobacco.

The again of the palate is sizzling and aggressive, pushing oak whereas doubling-down on the tobacco notes. The conclusion is an extended, drawn-out hit of spice, cardamom, and pepper with a distant contact of plum.

Damaged Barrel Heresy could also be a becoming moniker, as a result of this rye is aggressive and unapologetic about it. That’s a terrific factor should you like your whiskey on the vigorous facet, and Heresy delivers a high-octane efficiency that’s darkish and figgy up entrance with a double-barrel blast of oak on the finish. 

★★★

Stats:—52.5% ABV—$35