Templeton Rye

In the immortal words of Don Birnam, I will have a Rye! (If you can catch that reference I will buy you a Cheroot)

Recently we had the privilege of receiving a bottle of Templeton Rye (Thanks K. and S. D.) as a gift. I really enjoy Whiskey and drink large varieties of brands and types. Also with all due respect to Whiskey drinkers if the only Whiskey you consume is Jack and Coke or Crown and Coke you really are missing a great drinking experience. I am not saying that there are not times to make a cocktail that contains Whiskey (Hemingway Highballs and Manhattans), however to really enjoy the finer side of great Whiskeys you should try them neat or on a rare occasion with a cube of ice.

 

Templeton Rye is a great example of a Whiskey that should be consumed neat. Templeton Rye distillery is located in Templeton Iowa, however I will not go into the history of the Templeton distillery; however I would recommend reading it from the website
http://www.templetonrye.com/history/business/

The Review

Color – Medium Carmel
Bouquet – Light on the nose and a very smooth bouquet
Initial Taste- Absolutely smooth and I would compare the smoothness to an Irish Whiskey, but not the taste.
Taste – Definitely some grain, duh it is Rye, however when I was sampling some with some friends they kept mentioning a “grass” taste that I did not get at all. Very light and enjoyable taste.
Finish – More than mellow, very consistent to the end and I could see the bottle vanishing before my eyes. Some caramel and grain, but a taste all its own .
Price - I found it in Waterloo/Cedar Falls Iowa from 34.99 – 44.99, however I heard from reliable sources you could find it cheaper.
Availability – Currently the only bad part of this amazing Whiskey as it is only available in Iowa, Illinois, New York and California.
Overall – Now one of my favorite Whiskeys and I highly recommend it. From the smooth initial nose and taste to the last drop it is a very enjoyable Whiskey.
Side Note: The label is cool and has a Speak Easy look which would be typical as Rye was one of the preferred Whiskeys in the 30’s and as you will see they bill it as a “Prohibition Era Whiskey” and as you will read the recipe is the same one used during this era.

Cheers- Randy