I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Lux Row for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
Well, I’m officially on vacation. The last pup went home today. The last bit of client work was finished, and tomorrow is that glorious day when I just have to finish the last few thin…oh who am I kidding? The day before vacation is the most stressful time of the entire trip. I don’t know about you, but I can’t help thinking, “What if I forget something?” The rational answer is, of course, “Well…they have stores in Washington, Oregon, and California. You can just go buy something to replace the (probably small) thing you forgot.” But humans, as you might have discovered, are rarely the rational creatures we pretend to be.
But before I head out on vacation, we need to talk about the new bourbon from Ross & Squibb.
Remus Highest Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey is taking naming very literally. With a mashbill of 51% corn, 39% rye, and 10% malted rye, there is no mathematical way that a bourbon could have more rye in the mashbill and still be bourbon. At 49% rye, it is two percentage points from being a rye whiskey. We talk about the Kentucky-style “barely legal” rye all the time. But this might be my first “barely legal” bourbon. The 109° proof bourbon is a permanent, year-round line extension and will be sold nationwide for a suggested retail price of $54.99.
Now, let’s dig in and see if it is any good.
Remus Highest Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Purchase Info: This bottle was sent at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $54.99.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.67
Details: 6 years old. 54.5% ABV.
Nose: Mint, almond, and a touch of cinnamon and oak.
Mouth: Sweet with a vibrant heat that sneaks up on you as you hold it in the mouth to tease out notes of honey, oak, mint, and cinnamon.
Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Notes of cinnamon red hot candies, honey, and a sharp oak.
Thoughts: This is a killer bourbon at $55. It is sweet and warm, but even at 109° proof, it is very drinkable neat. I am not picking up much influence from the malted rye, but for me, that's a good thing as I don't really care for the flavor that malted rye usually brings. This will undoubtedly be part of the rotation of bourbons I occasionally pick up after I see it land on local store shelves.
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