Company: Beam Suntory
Distillery: Jim Beam Distillery
Region: Clermont, Kentucky
Aging: 4 Years
ABV: 47.5% ABV
Proof: 95 Proof
Mash Bill: 80% Rye, 20% Soft Malted Barley
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
Price: $40
History Behind Monongahela Whiskey
This bottle is named after Abraham Overholt and is a 2024 Release in the state of Pennsylvania.
In 2020, Jim Beam also released a special Old Overholt 114 Proof bottle to honor the 210th anniversary of Abraham Overholt’s first distilling of Rye whiskey in Western, PA.
They are leaning into this heritage a bit more with this A. Overholt Monongahela Mash bottle where they are now using an 80% Rye and 20% Soft Malted Barley mash bill.
As far as I know, this whiskey does not have any other similarities to the original ways Abraham Overholt made rye whiskey in the early 1800’s.
As I live in Western Pennsylvania where this Monongahela Rye whiskey started, there are a lot more complexities that would go into re-creating the old whiskey from 2 centuries ago.
In the future, I may consider completing more research into exactly what all constitutes an official recreation of the original Abraham Overholt Rye whiskey, but I will leave that for another day.
Side Note: I did just recently visit Liberty Pole Distillery and also Iron City Distilling and both seem very well versed in the details of the classic Western PA Rye whiskey traditions.
A. Overholt Monongahela Mash – Straight Rye Whiskey Tasting Notes
Appearance: Dark Honey
Nose: Sweet rye grain, honey sweetness, delicate fruit notes, apple, red cherry, hints of sweetness, lightly toasted oak, vanilla, grassy, floral, apricot
Palate: Sweet candy-like flavors, rich fruits, cherry, apple, apricot, citrus zest, rye grain, mild rye spice, brown sugar, honey, lovely floral flavors, earthy, grassy, light pepper
Finish: Smooth and easy finish – doesn’t stick around for too long but is extremely easy to drink – leaves you with sweet candied fruit flavors with lingering rye spice, rye grain, and earthy flavors
Is A. Overholt Monongahela Mash an Approachable Whiskey?
A. Overholt Monongahela Mash is an extremely approachable whiskey.
It reminds me of candied fruits, dried apricots, and red cherries.
It has a lot of other flavors as well, but the nice fruit flavors mixed with delicate floral notes, I think this is a whiskey everyone can enjoy.
It would be particularly good to introduce to beginners with how smooth it is.
Is A. Overholt Monongahela Mash Complex?
A. Overholt Monongahela Mash is quite complex and full of flavors.
I don’t believe any of the rye used to make this whiskey actually came from Pennsylvania, but whatever rye they used is quite delicious.
It isn’t bold and spicy like many other rye whiskeys.
This pour has a more delicate rye grain and rye spice to it.
I use the word delicate in this review because this whiskey because it has a very fine structure and intricate layers of flavor to it.
It starts with excellent fruit flavors that trigger my candy-loving taste buds.
It also reminds me of dried apricots and red cherry flavors which are two other things I really love.
Behind the fruit flavors, you also have a bold layer of floral flavors that are a bit more earthy, grassy, and herbal.
Then to roll it all together and keep a solid base of flavors, you also get a layer of sweet honey and brown sugar that balance the rye spices nicely.
Is A. Overholt Monongahela Mash a go-to whiskey?
A. Overholt Monongahela Mash is a very delicious whiskey.
I could easily drink this as a go-to whiskey.
Is A. Overholt Monongahela Mash priced accurately to its quality?
A. Overholt Monongahela Mash is priced at $40 and it absolutely delivers on that price tag.
This is a bottle I will be purchasing again.
I’m not exactly sure if this is a one-off production or if they’re planning on keeping it around, but either way, I want to get a back-up bottle of this one.
Conclusion for A. Overholt Monongahela Mash
I have previously reviewed a few Old Overholt Whiskeys and this bottle of A. Overholt Monongahela Mash Rye is my favorite from them so far.
This includes Old Overholt 10 Year.
To finish out this tasting, I compared this pour to both Old Overholt 4 Year and Old Overholt 114 and while the mash bill do seem somewhat similar, I can tell a clear difference between them.
The A. Overholt Monongahela Mash is much smoother, and much more refined, and the flavors tasted much cleaner and enjoyable than the others.
So if you see this bottle of A. Overholt Monongahela Mash on the shelf and you’re a fan of rye whiskey, do yourself a favor and pick it up.
*Note: I’ll be very curious to see what some of the local Western PA distilleries create in the old-style rye from the 1800’s. I have a feeling this is just the first step into paying tribute to some of the earliest whiskey makers in America.
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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