We like the Kentucky Peerless whiskeys. Recently, Matt picked up a Kentucky Peerless Double Oaked Rye. We were excited to taste this whiskey. Caleb Kilburn makes good whiskey and a double oaked expression of their rye held promise of another excellent whiskey. However, after tasting it, we found the whiskey fell short of our expectations. Peerless bottles everything at barrel strength and non-chill filtered. We found that this whiskey could have benefitted from a bit of chill filtering. It was a little too tannic and slightly bitter. It shows that not all chill filtering is a bad thing. It is still a good whiskey, but could have been better with a little chill filtering.
Peerless Double Oaked Rye
Proof: 110
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, chocolate, molasses, baking spices and oak wood.
- Matt: Rye grass, raisins, dark chocolate and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, oranges, caramel, chocolate, a little baking spices and lots of oak tannins. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the chocolate and orange are enhanced. Tasted with a pecan and the spice becomes dominate with white pepper, allspice and lots of wood tannins.
- Matt: A bit oily with raisins, a dark chocolate mocha coffee and oak tannins. The dried cranberry enhanced the oiliness and brought out a burnt caramel flavor. The pecan brought out the flavor of a strong coffee with cream and caramel and oak tannins.
Finish:
- Mike: Long with dark chocolate and oak tannins that were a little bitter. The dried cranberry enhanced the chocolate and reduced the tannic bitterness. The pecan made the finish very long with oak tannins and a lot of pepper spice.
- Matt: Long with oak tannins, leather and chocolate. The dried cranberry enhanced the chocolate and reduced the tannic bitterness. The pecan made the finish very tannic with tobacco and chocolate.
I would pair this Rye whiskey with a My Father The Judge cigar. The vanilla and chocolate notes would complement the chocolate in the whiskey.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller
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