Back in the summer of 2022, I took a drive down to DC, Baltimore, Northern Virginia, and Pennsylvania on a whirlwind whiskey tasting trip. Three days, nine distilleries planned (more, if I could), and a few hundred miles. The last stop on my trip was a small distillery in Lititz, PA, that I had almost decided to skip because - to be completely honest - I was getting tired and hadn’t tried this distillery’s product before.

After deciding to power through, I drove up to the distillery, noting how from the front it didn’t look much bigger than a double wide trailer with a dormered roof. I wasn’t even sure it was open at the time.

I peered into the window (probably looking creepy as hell) to see if there was anyone inside. A bartender, a guest, a cat, anything. I saw two of the three and made my way in and struck up a conversation.

Over the next few hours, I was treated to a VIP tour and tasting with eponymous co-founder Erik Wolfe. We went through the back side of the facility, where I was greeted by a newly installed washback towered right to the rafters and a still that poked right through the roof.

On that particular day, no spirit flowed out of the still, yet I knew by the sight and smell that something was different. I knew zero about Rosen rye, using different varietals (let alone heritage ones), and, embarrassingly, knew little if anything about Dick Stoll. It was still early in my self-education, and I’ve since gained an immense appreciation for all three. Rosen rye has come up in podcast episodes and conversations with Erik, Alan Bishop, Ari Sussman and Collin Gaudard of Mammoth Distilling, Laura Fields and Bob McDonald, and many others with whom I’ve spoken offline. Heritage grains are a frequent topic, whether it be rye, corn, barley, wheat, or rice. And Dick has become one of the legends I wish I could have met and shared a pour with before he passed, the last distiller of the old Pennsylvania Michter’s and a brilliant mind in his field.

Being the relative novice I was at the time, I needed a from-scratch course on Rosen, Pennsylvania distilling (particularly that of Western PA and the Monongahela region), and what it meant to revive a nearly-lost heritage grain that at one time was the preferred grain for brands as big as Schenley. I was comfortably familiar with different styles of rye (the trip had featured many ryes), so Erik asked me a simple question: did I want to try Rosen the way he and Dick got to try it, fresh off the still?

Hell yes I did.

Erik pulled a small bottle out of the back and a glencairn from under the bar, pouring some for each of us. He made a point to not tell me what the proof was, only that it was undiluted. After all the ryes I had sniffed and sipped on this trip, that initial nosing still stands out to me today. It wasn’t the brash herbaceousness of a 95/5 or Monongahela, nor the sweet, candied rye of Maryland or Kentucky. It wasn’t the mid-60% rye of modern Michter’s, either.

In my hand was a new flavor palette, swirling with something identifiable as rye distillate but otherwise wholly different. It drank around 110-115º, remarkably below what I was expecting and far below the 131º Erik later revealed it to be. It was fruity and floral, with light green leafy herbs and a deeply oily mouthfeel that tamped down the proof on my tongue. Two and a half years later, it’s still in my top three new make whiskies I’ve ever tried.

With a mashbill of 60% rye, 30% corn, and 10% malted barley, it mirrors the mashbill Dick Stoll would’ve used during the Pennsylvania Michter’s era and a frequent grain mix used in Lancaster County, PA. As a side note, thanks to Nino Kilgore-Marchetti for pointing me to a blog post I had forgotten about by Chuck Cowdery where more context is provided, especially in the comments section, linked here.

On that visit, I also got to try the Rosen at 2 years old. It was aging well, though the potential was there for much more growth, something Erik was well aware of and excited for. And so the waiting began (for me at least - Erik had already been waiting two years) to taste the Rosen when it was ready, when it had entered its prime maturation.

Below are my notes for the 4 Year Old Rosen Rye from Stoll & Wolfe. As of writing, it has vaulted its way to my #1 rye of 2024, combining an excellent flavor profile with the significance of a once-dead rye fully reborn, a vibrant coming out party for the last product Dick Stoll distilled. It does his memory justice and then some via the watchful eyes of Erik and his team. Bravo.

Thank you to Stoll & Wolfe for providing this sample free of charge. All opinions are my own.

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*Photo credit: Stoll & Wolfe Distillery*

Stoll & Wolfe Rosen Rye 4 Year Old Whiskey: Specs

Classification: Straight Rye Whiskey

Producer: Stoll & Wolfe Distillery

Mashbill: 60% Rye, 30% Corn, and 10% Malted barley

Proof: 106.5 (53.25% ABV)

Age: 4 Years

Location: Pennsylvania

Stoll & Wolfe Rosen Rye 4 Year Old Whiskey Price: $120

Official Website

Stoll & Wolfe Rosen 4 Year Old Rye Whiskey: Tasting Notes

Eye: Apple juice. Thick rims bleed off, tiny droplets few and far between.

Nose: Preserved and candied lemon followed by a surge of green herbs like tarragon and thyme, fragrant (more so with a little air). Mild proof sting. Toasted vanilla pods and cardamom and coriander seeds. Sweet and herb balance reminds me of an Indian dessert.

Palate: Wow - flavor explodes with tarragon and cardamom, both sweetened into candies with the lightest bit of astringency. Proof is barely noticeable. Grilled lemons give a hint of char and smoke, reminding you that the barrel wants to play. Creamy vanilla bean anglaise spiked with a heavy hand of whiskey. Mouthfeel is creamy, settling mid-tongue, coating with black pepper and anise. Light proof burn on the front half of my tongue, coating.

Finish: Black tea with honey, the herbs continuing but fully on the sweet side now. Dries thickly on the back half of my tongue. Medium-long finish, adding more vanilla and caramel sauce at the end.

Overall: Wow - this is a banger. Flavor explosions left and right, balance and power throughout, solid mouthfeel, and evolving complexity. Drinks slightly below proof, could easily stand up neat or on a large cube. A buy for both flavor and importance, highlighting what aged Rosen rye can be.

Final Rating: 8.4

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