MB Roland is a distillery in Pembroke Kentucky in Christian County. The distillery was started up by Paul & Merry Beth (“MB”) Tomaszewski in 2009 on a beautiful former Amish dairy farm. They chose the area because MB is a local native and Paul had been stationed at nearby Fort Campbell. This rye whiskey produced at the distillery has a mash bill that includes local Christian County white corn. We visited recently, purchased this bottle (and several others) and Matt and I sat down to taste it. Here are our tasting notes.
MB Roland Barrel Proof Single Barrel Rye selected by Mudcat Mike
Proof: 110.2
Age: 2 years old
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, dark fruit and oak.
- Matt: Lemon citrus, rye grass, and vanilla wafers.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, caramel, apricots, prunes, cinnamon and oak. Tasting a dried cranberry brings out the fruit, currants and oak. Tasted with a pecan and the oak and caramel flavors are enhanced.
- Matt: Rye grass, lemon tart, with raspberry. The dried cranberry added the flavors of a waffle cone. The pecan added flavors of cocoa to the lemon and rye grass.
Finish:
- Mike: Long with oak, cinnamon and lingering fruit flavor. The dried cranberry made the finish longer with oak and lingering sweetness with fruit and caramel. The pecan made the finish very long and dry with oak, spice and lingering caramel.
- Matt: Long with cayenne pepper and oak. The dried cranberry enhanced the oak, rye grass and cayenne pepper in the finish. The pecan made the finish long with oak, cocoa and cayenne pepper.
I would pair this Rye with a cigar that has vanilla and some dried fruit notes in the smoke. I would reach for a Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Robusto, a full flavored Nicaraguan cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller