Taconic Distillery Madeira-Finished Rye

RyeReviewsTaconic Distillery

Sep 10

Written By David Levine

45% ABV/90 Proof

3+ Years Old, Finished in Madeira casks.

Eye: Fresh honey.

Nose: Wow - thats…unusual? I can’t decide at first what I think. Not used to Madeira finishes, but that’s a powerful nose. Very sweet, rye spice and fruit, and some funk.

Palate: The rye makes itself known right away, but the madeira follows with a delicious syrupy flavor. Tastes like a corn-forward rye, oddly. Mouthfeel is coating and carries a sweet smoke and woody backbone.

Finish: Double Bubble, long and sweet.

Overall: A good house rye for sipping and making interesting cocktails. The funky nose throws me a bit off and the palate is interesting, but to me the pieces never quite cohere.

Rating: 4.6

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)