The Mingo Creek Craft Distillers LLC. Is a distillery in Pennsylvania making a very interesting rye whiskey. They sent a bottle of their 18 month old rye to me some time ago and I reviewed it. Recently, they sent me a bottle of their two year old rye, their first straight rye whiskey. It is made with the same mash bill 61% rye, 13 % wheat. 13% rye malt and 13% barley malt. This mash bill reflects what I like seeing made into a rye whiskey. It is very different from the typical rye whiskey coming out of Indiana or Kentucky. Those mash bills tend to be either 95% rye, 5% malted barley or a barley legal amount of rye with corn and malted barley.
This rye whiskey is very similar to the 18 month old rye I reviewed earlier, but it has matured in flavor enough that Matt and I thought we would review it now so people could compare the notes. I look forward to seeing this rye whiskey at four years old when Matt and I will again review it for you. Maybe they will release a Bottled-in-Bond version then.
Liberty Pole Rye
Proof: 92
Age Two Years Old
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla peaches and oak.
- Matt: Rye grass, butter and peaches. Surprisingly, there was a hint of corn even though there is no corn in the mash bill. Maybe it is the wheat bringing out that aroma.
Taste:
- Mike: Peaches and cinnamon spice with some caramel and oak. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the spice really comes forward and the oak steps back a notch. Tasted with a pecan and the peaches come forward with a lot of caramel and a little rye grass in the background.
- Matt: Rye grass, apricots and buttery mouth-feel with a little oak. The dried cranberry brought out a note of strawberries, vanilla and rye grass. The pecan brought out spiced peaches with ginger and cinnamon.
Finish:
- Mike: Short with oak and spice. The dried cranberry made the finish a little longer. The pecan made the finish long and dry with oak and lingering caramel.
- Matt: Short and fruity with peaches, ginger spice and a hint of oak. The dried cranberry made the finish longer. The pecan took the fruit out of the finish leaving vanilla and oak.
I would pair this rye whiskey with a NUB Maduro cigar. I think the cigar’s notes of vanilla, caramel and cedar spice in the smoke will pair well with the fruit and spice of the whiskey.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller