Midway Distilling Company started life as Bluegrass Distillers, but when they had a chance to relocate to Midway, Kentucky, they changed their name to honor the pre-Prohibition Midway Distilling Company. This rye whiskey has been fully aged in new charred barrels and then finished in a used barrel that had been re-coopered and charred. I recently picked up a bottle of this whiskey and Matt and I sat down and tasted it. Here are our tasting notes.
Midway Distilling Company Reclaimed & Recharred Finished Rye Whiskey
Proof: 110
Age: Four Years Old
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, caramel and oak wood.
- Matt: Rye grass, vanilla, lemon zest, and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, citrus, allspice and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the spice and oak are enhanced. Tasted with a pecan and the taste becomes chocolate, caramel and nutmeg spice with oak wood.
- Matt: Rye grass, vanilla, lemon tart, and oak wood. The dried cranberry enhanced the lemon to a lemonade flavor. The pecan brought out some ginger spice.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak and allspice. The dried cranberry made the finish long and spicy. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, chocolate and nutmeg.
- Matt: Medium long with oak and lingering citrus. The dried cranberry made the finish longer with oak wood and lemon tart. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, ginger spice and lingering lemon.
I would pair this rye whiskey with a cigar that has lots of vanilla and tobacco in the smoke. I would reach for an Oliva Serie V cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller