Company: Heaven Hill
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
Aging: 6 Years
ABV: 55% ABV
Proof: 110 Proof
Mash Bill: 51% Rye, 39% Corn, 10% Malted Barley
Non-Chill Filtered: No
MSRP Price: $60
Pikesville Straight Rye Tasting Notes
Appearance: Amber
Nose: Sweet honey, rye grain, vanilla, toasted oak, candied fruits, apricot, cherry, apple, anise seed, floral notes, hints of cinnamon, nutmeg
Palate: Rye spice, rye grain, caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, dark fruits, black cherry, apricot, earthy notes, floral, citrus, clove, oaky tannic spice
Finish: Rich chewy finish with an oily and buttery mouthfeel – leaves you with rye spice and rye grain flavors followed by honey sweetness layered with fruit flavors and a nice spice on the tail end
Is Pikesville Rye an Approachable Whiskey?
Pikesville Rye is a smooth and easy-to-drink whiskey that is jam-packed with rye flavor.
If you’re a fan of rye whiskey, you’re likely going to really enjoy this one.
However, this rye whiskey isn’t your typical hot and spicy rye whiskey, it leans a little more toward sweeter rye grain and rye bread flavors.
Since this whiskey is only 51% rye, the minimum required to be a rye whiskey, it has a bit more sweetness and honey/caramel notes than you’d expect from some of your other higher rye whiskeys.
Regardless, this is a whiskey anyone can enjoy if you’re a fan of rye whiskey.
Is Pikesville Rye Complex?
Pikesville Rye Whiskey isn’t particularly complex, but it delivers exactly what it advertises.
It says right on the label that it is a straight rye whiskey and that is exactly what you’re going to get.
Heavy rye flavors right away followed by a nice caramel, honey, and fruit sweetness.
The finish is a lot more enjoyable than I expected and the 6 years of again seems to have paid off on this one.
What are Pikesville Rye’s strongest attributes/flavors?
Pikesville Rye’s strongest attribute is the way it balances so much rye flavor without being too hot or spicy.
While I’m a fan of hot and spicy rye whiskeys when done well, this bottle goes in a slightly different direction where the rye spice and rye grain flavors lean a little bit sweeter and it’s clear why the corn level is 39% on this mash bill.
And tied for the strongest attribute is this whiskey’s finish.
It is one of the best finishes I have found on a rye whiskey and is quite impressive.
Is Pikesville Rye a go-to whiskey?
Pikesville Rye whiskey is very easy to drink and full of rich flavors.
If you’re a fan of rye whiskey, this is a bottle I would give a shot to see how it stacks up to your usual go-to rye whiskeys.
I usually reach for a bourbon or Scotch before rye whiskey, but this bottle may be one of the exceptions along with my Peerless Rye and New Riff Single Barrel Rye.
I’m also quite excited to try this one in a few cocktails because I think its rye flavors will really shine through in a nice old-fashioned or manhattan.
Is Pikesville Rye priced accurately to its quality?
Pikesville Rye does deliver on its price tag, but I’m guessing if it were in the $40-50 price range, it would sell off the shelves a lot faster.
I’ve passed this bottle multiple times in my local liquor store and I’ve always just walked on by because the price tag just didn’t match the label in my mind.
It didn’t seem “fancy” enough to be a $60 bottle.
However, after tasting this one, it is really enjoyable and one of the better rye whiskeys that I have tasted.
Conclusion for Pikesville Rye
If you’re like me, you’ve probably seen Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey on the shelf and given it a thought, but may not have wanted to spend the $60 price tag on a bottle you’re unsure about.
After tasting the whiskey and giving it a fair shot, it is a very enjoyable pour.
It offers a nice 110-proof point, a ton of flavor, an excellent finish, and is a whiskey that deserves a better shot than I gave it credit for each time I passed it up on the shelf.
If you’re a fan of rye whiskey, this is a must-buy.
If you’re usually not a rye whiskey person, this bottle is one you may still want to check out and give a fair shake.
There’s just something about the flavors in this one that really hit my palate nicely.
Let Us Know What You Think
I hope you enjoyed this tasting experience with me.
If you decide to give this bottle a shot, please let me know on social media via Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Thanks for reading and cheers!
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