I have always liked Kentucky Peerless Rye Whiskey. Corky Taylor listened to my discussion of barrel entry proof and lowered their barrel entry proof to 107, and it improved the flavor of their new make. They liked the flavor so much that they decided to bottle their whiskey at barrel proof. Peerless two year old rye whiskey was excellent whiskey and it got better as they had aged stock. Peerless has great whiskey on its own and they are selling it, but that does not mean that they are resting on their laurels. They have experimented with several barrel finished products and this is their toasted barrel expression. Matt and I first tasted this whiskey a week or so after they released, while we were in New Orleans for the New Orleans Bourbon Festival. We loved it and I mentioned that I was going to get a bottle for review when I got home. They immediately gave me a bottle from their case that they brought with them to pour at the festival. Matt and I sat down and tasted it when we got home and decided to make it our “Whiskey of the Month” for April. Here are our tasting notes.
Peerless Toasted Barrel Rye Whiskey
Proof: 109.4
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Caramel, butterscotch, plums, dates, allspice and oak wood.
- Matt: Caramel, honey, buttered toffee, marshmallows and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Caramel, butterscotch, dates, apricots, cinnamon, nutmeg and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and it becomes a butterscotch candy with apricots and oak wood. Tasted with a pecan and milk chocolate and white pepper come out in the flavor.
- Matt: Caramel, coffee with cream, lemon zest and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out vanilla cream with wild berries and ginger spice. The pecan made it sweet with lots of caramel and coffee with cream and ginger spice.
Finish:
- Mike: Long with oak wood, baking spices and lingering butterscotch. The dried cranberry added some apricot fruitiness to the finish. The pecan made the finish long and dry with oak wood, white pepper and lingering milk chocolate.
- Matt: Medium long with oak and caramel. The dried cranberry made the finish a bit more spicy with oak wood, ginger and lingering vanilla. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood and caramel.
I would pair this fine rye whiskey with a My Father The Judge cigar. The vanilla and chocolate in the smoke would pair well with the sweetness of the rye.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller