Old Overholt 11 Year Rye Whiskey, 46.3%
Nose: Bourbony with tons of cinnamon and vanilla. I get Beam’s signature peanuts and then rye spices, clove, and cedar wood with some pine
Palate: Medium mouthfeel, spicy at first with black pepper and cinnamon, shifts to brown sugar and bourbon sweetness, vanilla, a touch of orange zest. There’s a nice oak backbone with some leather
Finish: Medium length, quite peppery, some of that nuttiness returns, sugar lingers with some oak
Rating: 78/100 – Great | Well above average
Smells like a bourbon but delivers a nice punch that you don’t often see in a barely legal rye, especially at 92 proof. It’s reasonably complex and very well balanced but doesn’t quite make it to the “excellent” tier for me. I can’t help but feel it’s missing something that would take it to the next level. At $75 it’s a solid buy but Old Overholt 11 Year feels more like a standard Beam release and not the special whiskey I had hoped it might be.
Additional Info: A limited release of just 50 barrels (7200 bottles) distributed exclusively in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Uses an undisclosed “barely legal” (high-corn) rye whiskey mash bill
Price Paid: $75