The Green River Distillery dates back to the 19th century. It was known then as producing the “Whiskey without a headache”. They only made one whiskey and it was the most advertised brand at that time. They never made a rye whiskey that I know of – until now.
The Green River Distillery has just released a rye whiskey. It is a 95% rye, 5% malted barley mash bill and bottled at 95 proof and is not chill filtered. I recently received a bottle and Matt and I sat down and tasted it the other day. Here are our tasting notes.
Green River Rye Whiskey
Proof: 95
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, apples, baking spices and oak wood.
- Matt: Rye grass, baking spices, vanilla, Green apple, cinnamon, and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, cinnamon, nutmeg, oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the vanilla is enhanced and the apple finally comes out. Tasted with a pecan and the vanilla becomes more of a caramel with hints of milk chocolate and the spice becomes a black pepper.
- Matt: Rye grass, vanilla, cinnamon, apple and oak wood. The dried cranberry enhanced the cinnamon making it like a red hot candy. The pecan brought out milk chocolate, caramel, and pepper spice.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak and spice. The dried cranberry added some lingering tart apple to the finish. The pecan made the finish very long with oak and black pepper.
- Matt: Medium long with oak and lots of pepper. The dried cranberry reduced the oak and brought out cinnamon in the finish. The pecan made the finish longer with a nice warm oak, pepper and lingering caramel.
I would pair this fine rye whiskey with a spicy cigar. I think I would reach for a Rocky Patel Decade cigar with its rich tobacco and cedar spice in the smoke. I think it would pair well with the spice of the rye whiskey.
photos courtesy of Michael Veach and Rosemary Miller