I’d like to thank the folks at Frey Ranch Distillery and their PR team for providing this bottle with no strings attached.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I seldom think of farming and Nevada in the same sentence. Mostly because I’ve really only been to the areas that tourists go to. I’ve been to Vegas, visited nature in the area, and driven through Northern Nevada on I-80 a couple of times. And honestly, I never thought about grain farming as I drove through.
But apparently I should have. Just over the southern horizon (poetically speaking) from I-80 lives a small town named Fallon. And when you look for Fallon on a satellite view, you notice one thing quite clearly: there is a lot of green on that image. More than my brief visits to the state would have ever led me to believe. I must not be the only one with those thoughts, as the press release spends a few words explaining just that:
Using his own slow-grown grains that take Northern Nevada’s climate, topography, and terroir into account provides Colby with almost unlimited freedom to experiment with different grain varieties and blends. Valuing a common-sense approach to sustainable farming, Colby, along with Master Distiller Russell Wedlake, built a distillery born from a desire to create a distinctive, long-lasting product from the quality grains that the Frey family has been growing and perfecting for generations. The new Frey Ranch Farm Strength Uncut Rye is another prime example of Frey Ranch’s commitment to centering its whiskey enterprise around their grains and farming background first and foremost.
The Frey family values a common-sense approach to sustainable farming, with Colby’s inspiration to build a distillery born from a desire to create a distinctive, long-lasting product from the quality grains his family has been growing and perfecting for generations. The family has long abided by the motto, “Be good to the land and the land will be good to you,” which is embossed on the bottom of each bottle of Frey Ranch Whiskey.
Now I don’t know about you, but I love having my perspective on the world widened. It’s why I travel so much and end up taking a lot of road trips when I do. I love seeing for myself just what this country has to offer.
But we are here to talk about whiskey. So let’s see what this whiskey has to offer. Right off the bat, it isn’t offering you any water. This is a cask strength whiskey, uncut with water—which I actually like. Why bother shipping water across the country when I have plenty here at home? Plus, I get to find my preferred dilution point. Frey Ranch Uncut Rye is six years old, bottled at 124.52 proof, and has a mash bill of 100% Canadian winter rye, grown by the Frey family. So now onto the most important part—how does it taste?
Frey Ranch Farm Strength Uncut Rye
Purchase Info: This bottle was provided for review purposes at no charge. The suggested retail price is $79.99 and it is available for the time being at the Frey Ranch Distillery website.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.33
Details: 6 years old. 62.26% ABV. 100% rye mash bill.
Nose: Caramel, honey, mint, black pepper, oak.
Mouth: Very hot and thick in the mouth. Notes of cinnamon, honey, cola, and oak.
Finish: Warm and long. Notes of cinnamon, mint, cocoa, black pepper, caramel, and oak linger.
Thoughts: Rich, sweet, and very spicy when neat. This is a release that is begging for water—which I am totally fine with. As I said earlier, it doesn't make much sense to ship water across the country when there is plenty here at the house. Water tames some of the heat and brings out cedar notes, as well as a hint of citrus. This also makes a killer Sazerac, the cocktail I test all ryes with. Overall, this is very good. I really like it.
If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.