This whiskey is made at Distillery 291 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is a barrel proof unfiltered rye whiskey finished with toasted Aspen staves added to the new charred oak barrel. The whiskey is made in a copper pot still and distilled three times before putting it in the barrel. They also add stillage from an IPA beer to the mash in what they call the “El Paso County Process”. It makes for an interesting whiskey. This particular bottle is whiskey made from 100% malted rye. It is a very hot whiskey that benefits from adding a little water. Matt and I sat down and tasted it and here are our tasting notes.
Distillery 291 All Rye Whiskey Finished with Aspen Staves
Proof: 132.6
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Very fruity with prunes and raisins, rye grass, vanilla, oak wood and a hint of chocolate.
- Matt: Fresh cut wood, caramel, a little mustiness, dark cherry, rye grass.
Taste:
- Mike: Very fruity with prunes and apricots, Rye grass, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg spices, oak wood and a hint of milk chocolate. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the chocolate comes forward and the spice becomes a pepper spice. Tasted with a pecan and the wood and pepper spice dominate the flavor.
- Matt: Caramel red hot cinnamon candy, dates and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out the rye grass and a hint of sarsaparilla and lemongrass. The pecan brought out notes of chocolate and raisins.
Finish:
- Mike: Very long with oak, cinnamon spice and lingering fruit. The dried cranberry shortened the finish and made it very peppery with lingering chocolate notes. The pecan made the finish very long and dry with oak and pepper without any lingering sweetness.
- Matt: Long with oak wood, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. The dried cranberry brought out lingering rye grassiness with oak and cinnamon. The pecan tamed the heat somewhat but made the finish very long with oak cinnamon and lingering brown sugar sweetness.
I would pair this Rye Whiskey with a cigar that is milder in flavor so as not to compete too much with the flavors of the whiskey. I would reach for a Nat Sherman Metropolitan cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller