A few months ago, we held our BARDS meeting at the Louisville tasting room for Whiskey Thief Distillery. I was gifted a bottle of their single barrel rye whiskey by Hannah Mekillo, their Direct Sales & Single Barrel person. I have to apologize to Hannah for taking so long to review this whiskey, but I have a huge backlog of bottles to taste and review. The bottle is very good rye whiskey. It is a single barrel product, as everything sold there is a single barrel product thieved out of the barrels, thus the name of the distillery. Matt and I sat down and tasted it the other day, and here are our tasting notes.

May Day Rye Whiskey

Proof: 146

Age: Seven Years Old

Nose: 

  • Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, allspice and oak wood.
  • Matt: Rye grass, smoky campfire, cereal grains and oak wood.

Taste:

  • Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, pears, allspice and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry enhances the rye grass and brings out cinnamon spice. Tasted with a pecan and the vanilla becomes a rich caramel and the oak wood is enhanced.
  • Matt: Rye grass, black pepper and cinnamon spice, oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out flavors of lemon grass and mint. The pecan brought out caramel and enhanced the black pepper.

Finish:

  • Mike: Medium long with oak wood, allspice and lingering pear. The dried cranberry made the finish longer with oak wood and lots of cinnamon. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, cinnamon and lingering caramel.
  • Matt: Medium long with oak wood and cinnamon. The dried cranberry brought out notes of mint in the finish. The pecan made he finish long with oak wood and black pepper.

I would pair this rye whiskey with a cigar that has a lot of vanilla and cedar spice in the smoke. I would reach for a NUB Habano cigar.

May Day Rye Whiskey

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller