This whiskey is made at the Union Horse Distilling Company in Lenexa, Kansas. The family-owned and operated distillery near Kansas City, Missouri makes this small batch whiskey with 100% Rye and distills it in a copper pot still made by Vendome Copper & Brass Works. They put the distillate into the the barrel at 110 proof. Although the label has no age statement the online description states that this non-chill filtered whiskey is at least 5 years old.
The Distillery sent this bottle to me and Matt and I sat down and tasted this barrel strength Rye Whiskey. Here are our tasting notes.
Union Horse Distilling Co. Barrel Strength Reunion Straight Rye
Proof: 121.4
Age: NAS
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, blackberries,
- allspice and oak.
- Matt: Caramel, blackberries, toasted nuts, rye grass and cereal grain.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, blackberries, allspice and oak. Tasting a dried cranberry brings out raspberry and cinnamon flavors. Tasting with a pecan brings out butterscotch and pepper.
- Matt: Caramel, blackberries, spicy jalapeño and cayenne pepper. The dried cranberry emphasized the caramel and brought out hot pepper jelly and mint flavors. The pecan brought out notes of caramel, ripe apple and milk chocolate.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak, spice and lingering berries. The dried cranberry lengthens the finish with oak, cinnamon and lingering berries. The pecan makes the finish very long and dry with oak and pepper.
- Matt: Oak, blackberry and predominant rye spice flavors. The dried cranberry brought out oak with lingering rye spice. Tasted with a pecan brought out oak, caramel and milk chocolate notes.
I would pair this Rye Whiskey with a RoMa Craft Neanderthal LH Robusto. This full-bodied cigar has a peppery, fruity sweetness with a creamy finish that should pair well with the rye grass, vanilla and blackberry flavors in the Whiskey.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller