I have always been a fan of Kentucky Peerless Rye Whiskey. I like their low barrel entry proof of 107 and their sweet mash recipe. Some of their single barrels have a unique flavor that they often describe when selling the bottles at the distillery. One such bottle was gifted to me by the members of the St. Louis Bourbon Society when they visited me for drinks on the porch. It is described at the distillery as being “Hummingbird Cake”. The members tasted it when they visited the distillery earlier that day and were so impressed with the flavor, they purchased several bottles and gifted me with one. It is excellent Rye whiskey and Matt and I sat down to taste it the other day and here are our tasting notes.
Peerless Single Barrel Rye “Hummingbird Cake”
Proof: 124.7
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, citrus, allspice, fine leather and oak wood.
- Matt: Vanilla, cake batter, baking spices and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, citrus, apricots, allspice, white pepper, oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the apricot is enhanced and a lemon zest and cinnamon spice comes forward. Tasted with a pecan and the vanilla becomes a rich caramel with a little milk chocolate.
- Matt: Vanilla frosting, almonds, cherries, baking spices and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out citrus and enhanced the cherry notes. The pecan brought out a flavor of oatmeal with rich caramel and spice.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak, spice and lingering fruit flavors. The dried cranberry made the finish longer with oak and cinnamon. The pecan made the finish long and dry with oak, cinnamon spice and lingering chocolate.
- Matt: Medium long with rich vanilla, citrus fruit, baking spices and oak wood. The dried cranberry made the finish longer with vanilla and oak wood. The pecan made the finish very long and dry with a hint of oats, oak wood and lingering vanilla.
I would pair this fine rye whiskey with a cigar full of rich vanilla in the smoke with a little cedar spice. I would reach for a Nat Sherman Timeless Panamericana cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller