George Dickel has never made a rye whiskey before now. They had their distiller Nicole Austin make some rye whiskey on their column still and then partnered with Todd Leopold of Leopold Brothers Distillery in Colorado, who made some rye whiskey with their three chamber pot still. They married the whiskeys together to create this brand. It is labeled as the inaugural collaboration, so we can hope there will be others released in the future. They don’t say how much of each whiskey was used, but I am sure that Dickel can make a lot more on their column still than Leopold Brothers can make with their pot still. In any case, they have blended an excellent whiskey and Matt and I decided it was our Whiskey of the Month for July 2022.
George Dickel / Leopold Brothers Collaboration Rye
Proof: 100
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, honey, apricots, baking spices and sweet oak wood,
- Matt: Caramel and chocolate with rich oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla and lots of fruit – apricots and peaches, allspice, cardamom and sweet oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the rye grass flavor is stronger and the fruit notes are reduced but the vanilla has a hint of chocolate coming through. Tasted with a pecan and there is more vanilla and oak and the chocolate comes out strong.
- Matt: Caramel and chocolate, brown sugar and molasses with a hint of fruit. The dried cranberry brought out notes of sweet lemonade and cherries. The pecan brought out a flavor of a peanut butter cup with lots of chocolate and peanut butter.
Finish:
- Mike: Long with sweet oak wood, spice and lingering fruit notes. The dried cranberry made the spice a white pepper with allspice. The pecan made the finish long and dry with lots of oak and lingering baking spices.
- Matt: Rich oak wood with nutmeg and tobacco. The dried cranberry shortened the finish with less oak and a ginger spice. The pecan made the finish long and dominated by oak and tobacco.
I would pair this whiskey with a pipe tobacco with lots of vanilla, chocolate and dried fruit notes. My favorite Kremer’s Black Royal in a pipe with this Rye Whiskey would make for a very pleasant evening smoke.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller