*Liberty Pole Spirits Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey Bottle. Image courtesy of Liberty Pole Spirits.*

No whiskey is as identified with both Pennsylvania and the Whiskey Rebellion than rye. In the Monongahela Valley, American rye whiskey gained an identity, a spicy, peppery, slightly sweet profile with lemony brightness. The variety nearly died out, but thankfully some newer distilleries are rebuilding the style’s profile piece by piece.

Liberty Pole Spirits is one of those distilleries, making a Pennsylvania straight rye whiskey from a high rye mashbill and some wheat, double pot still distilled and then aged in a mix of 25- and 53-gallon barrels. Times change, of course, so a simple rye + wheat (or barley) mashbill wasn’t quite enough for Liberty Pole.

To add complexity, Liberty Pole takes part of its rye in the mashbill and malts it, resulting in a final mashbill of 61% rye, 13% malted rye, 13% soft red winter wheat, and 13% six-row distillers malt. The aging is in medium toast, char #3 barrels and aged at least two years. The barrel entry proof varies from 108-115 based on the spirit character of that run, and the barrels now come from West Virginia Great Barrel Company (previous years’ barrels came from cooperages in Minnesota and the Ozarks).

The resulting whiskey is 100% a Monongahela style, with enough variation to be its own thing. A yeast note that could easily be out of place in another whiskey fits perfectly here, like a sourdough loaf right out of the oven. The lemon is bright and acidic, lending the pour a levity while toning down herbal flavors.

It does need a little air. At first, the nose was tight and young, the few wisps of flavor grainy and barely-there. It was almost like a rye-based white dog. With five minutes of air, though, all that complexity develops, including dark chocolate and Schezuan peppercorns. The sourdough is slathered in freshly-churned butter that adds body without becoming greasy or overly coating. Give it time: it’ll reward you.

Liberty Pole Spirits Pennsylvania Straight Peated Bourbon Whiskey: Specs

Classification: Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey

Origin: Liberty Pole Spirits

Mashbill: 61% Rye, 13% Malted Rye, 13% Red Winter Wheat, and 13% Six-Row Distillers Malt

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: 2+ Years Old

Location: Pennsylvania

Liberty Pole Spirits Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey Price: $47

Official Website

Liberty Pole Spirits Pennsylvania Straight Peated Bourbon Whiskey: Tasting Notes

Eye: Golden apple juice. Sloughing rims, large teardrops and syrupy legs.

Nose: Fragrant, sourdough rye. Lemon juice, freshly made applesauce. Smells more like rye white dog before opening up into a more mature nose. Not yeasty but fresh and tart grain. Butter and buttermilk grow with air.

Palate: Spicy, white pepper-forward. The tingle warms al through the mouth. Oakier than expected, tannins and barrel char. There’s a bitter note I can’t quite place - it’s not distracting or strong, but it’s there. Mouthfeel is spicy, oily, mild and coating. Fruitiness starts building behind Red Hots and a touch of anise. Bitter chocolate finally emerges.

Finish: Once the chocolate emerges, roasted almond skins join it. Still quite peppery, almost numbing, on a medium length finish.

Overall: This just needs air. At first, it was a bit odd and I wasn’t sure if I liked it, but after a few minutes (think 5-10) it opened up nicely. Dark chocolate and Schezuan peppercorns numbing the tip of my tongue long after the finish is over.

Final Rating: 6.5

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary

8 | Excellent | Exceptional

7 | Great | Well above average

6 | Very Good | Better than average

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary

4 | Has promise but needs work

1-3 | Let’s have a conversation