This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes with no strings attached.
If you’ve been here a while, you probably know that I love it when whiskey companies experiment with things. My very first review was applauding an experimental whiskey from craft distiller friends of mine. I applauded the experimentation, even though I didn’t care for the results. Not every experiment is successful but even failed experiments yield valuable data.
So when the folks at Redemption reached out and asked me to take a look at their new product that was the result of their own experimentation with the whiskey aging process, I was happy to take a look.
Well, what did they do differently? I’ll actually quote from the bottle for this one since they were nice enough to illustrate and outline the process they used right on the label.
THE MASH. 5% barley 95% rye. We begin with our classic pre-Prohibition style Redemption Rye Whiskey mash bill.
FERMENTATION. When added to the mash, the yeast consumes the sugar, converting it into alcohol & CO2.
THE BACKSET. During distillation, alcohol is separated from the grains and yeast creating a flavorful backset, which we call the “whiskey lees.”
ON THE “LEES.” We add the “lees” into our barrels, a technique inspired by a French winemaking process called “Sur Lie.”
ROLLING THE BARRELS By periodically rotating the barrels during the aging process, we cause the grain and yeast cells in the “lees” & the whiskey to continually interact, infusing the liquid over time to create a deep and complex expression.
CHILL HAZE. We non-chill filter the whiskey to preserve its best flavors and aromas. The whiskey may appear cloudy when chilled.
ENJOY. The result of this innovative process is a whiskey that is soft around the edges with bold, rich taste, accentuated with a creamy mouthfeel and a hint of rye spice.
And from the Press Release:
Said Tom Steffanci, President of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, which produces Redemption: "At the beginning of our creation process, we were curious to see what flavors would be imparted if we applied a technique similar to the French winemaking sur lie process to our amazing classic rye mash bill. We spent a lot of time adjusting the approach to get it just right and we are delighted with the delicious outcome. I can't wait to hear from consumers once they have the opportunity to taste it."
Now, this might offend purists, but at the end of the day, experimentation like this is what differentiates products that would otherwise be basically the same. This takes (probable) MGP whiskey and does something interesting to it. Which I applaud. But the most important thing is how it tastes. So let’s dig in.
Redemption Sur Lee
Purchase Info: This bottle was provided for review purposes by the provider and their PR team. The suggested retail price is $59.99, and it is available for a limited time in NY, DE, FL, CA, TX, and MA.
Price per drink (50 mL): $4.00
Details: Three years old. 47% ABV. Aged with a bit of setback from the fermentation process.
Nose: Cedar, mint, almond, and nutmeg.
Month: Caramel, cedar, almond, and cinnamon.
Finish: Medium length. Initial notes of cedar and mint fade to reveal cardamom.
Thoughts: This is a decent rye. I'm partial to the 95% rye mash bill, so I'm enjoying this. I really dig the cardamom note right at the end of the finish. Makes me want to go back for another sip.
Compared to the standard Redemption rye: The noses are pretty similar. If I didn't have them side by side, I wouldn't notice a difference. But since I do, I'd say Sur Lee has the same notes, just more pronounced. The Sur Lee has a softer mouthfeel, and the sweet and cedar notes are more prominent. The finish on the Sur Lee has that fun cardamom note that standard is missing.
Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.
Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, posters, and more.