The Square 6 Rye Whiskey is a “high rye” rye whiskey. It is called that because Heaven Hill is using more rye in this mash bill than they use for their established brands such as Rittenhouse Rye. The mash bill is 63% rye, 24% corn and 13% malted barley. The whiskey was aged for over five years in one of their Bardstown warehouses. Matt and I tasted the Square 6 Rye Whiskey the other day. We also re-tasted the Square 6 Bourbon. Here are our tasting notes.
Square 6 Rye Whiskey
Proof: 95
Age: No Age Statement (Five Years)
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, dried fruit – dates and raisins, baking spices, oak wood.
- Matt: Rye grass, citrus, dark fruit, and leather – baseball mitt.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, maple syrup, dates, cardamom and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and more maple syrup and dates come forward. Tasted with a pecan and caramel and chocolate come forward.
- Matt: Rye grass, citrus, vanilla and berries. The dried cranberry enhances the vanilla and adds a note of pine nuts. The pecan brought out flavors of cocoa malt, buttered toffee and orange citrus.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak wood and cardamom spice. The dried cranberry made the finish sweeter with lingering dates and maple notes. The pecan made the finish very long with oak, leather and lingering caramel.
- Matt: Long with oak, burnt caramel and tobacco. The dried cranberry added a note of pine nuts and leather. The pecan made the finish very long with oak, citrus and leather.
Square 6 Bourbon
Proof: 95
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Cornbread, dried fruit, cardamom and oak wood.
- Matt: Corn and rye grass, vanilla, orange citrus and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Corn, dates, raisins, cardamom and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out the dates and cardamom spice. The pecan enhanced the vanilla, oak and spice.
- Matt: Vanilla with a hint of rye grass, tangerine and candy corn with oak wood. The dried cranberry enhanced the citrus and made it an orange zest flavor. The pecan brought out notes of cocoa and caramel and gave it a buttery mouth feel.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak, cardamom and lingering dried fruit. The dried cranberry enhanced the spice notes. The pecan made the finish very long with oak and spice.
- Matt: Oak wood, citrus, herbal notes of rye grass and spice. The dried cranberry added lingering notes of vanilla. The pecan made the finish very long with oak, rye grass and lingering caramel.
I would pair these whiskeys with a NUB Maduro cigar. The vanilla and chocolate notes of the cigar would pair well with these whiskeys.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller