Day #2 starts just as Day #1 did - a confident opinion about what's in my glass upon the first sniff. Unlike yesterday's sample, I am getting oodles of charred oak, caramel, and vanilla. My nose is screaming bourbon for all to hear. There is a touch of solvent astringency on the nose, the alcohol is bold, but not eye watering. With time, brown sugar and a light cinnamon emerge.
Tasting the whiskey has not changed my mind, first my nose and now my tongue are screaming bourbon. This is a dry, savory bourbon. Vanilla and oak are the most obvious initially, with the sweetness never really making an appearance. The alcohol feels prickly and strong here. I'd wager this is a youthful whiskey and bottled at a higher proof. The taste progresses from vanilla/oak to a gentle herbal/floral vibe and concludes with a black pepper spice. A splash of water does help calm down the alcohol prickle and smooths out the experience.
The finish is moderate in length with gentle cinnamon and lingering pepper and charred oak. Occasionally I get a wisp of peppermint, but this is not a consistent or dominant impression.
The more I sip this whiskey, the more I like it. The consistent lack of sweetness has planted a tinge of doubt in my mind regarding my bourbon guess, but not enough to change my opinion. There is an interesting complexity here that makes me think there is more going on in this whiskey than I'm aware of. A blend of some sort perhaps?
My Guess
Type/Style: Bourbon
Region: United States of America
Age: 4-6 years
Maturation: New charred oak
Strength: 50% ABV
Producer: No idea, but I'll offer up another WAG: Heaven Hill
Sip, Mix, or Skip?: Sip or Mix. If sipping, a splash of water is required to smooth the alcohol prickle.
Reveal
Name: Ron Colón Salvadoreño 100 Rye Whiskey
Type/Style: Blended Rye Whiskey (Blend of three MGP whiskeys: high malt whiskey, 51% rye whiskey, and 100% rye whiskey)
Region: North America (United States of America)
Age: 5 years old
Maturation: New charred oak
Strength: 50% ABV
Producer: Ron Colón Salvadoreño (MGP sourced whiskey)Price: $50
Official Tasting Notes
Ron Colón Salvadoreño 100 Rye Whiskey is a special kind of Rye blend. The Whiskey distillate is based on MGP’s historic Whiskey parameters and proprietary yeast that dates back to 1933 when it was still owned by the Seagram’s. A touch of high malt rye mash was added for sweetness and the finishing flavors of chocolate and apple. It also increased viscosity of the mouth feel. The other two Rye Whiskey batches were hand-picked to bring the adored robust Rye character of mint, spice, and floral botanicals to the table. All Whiskeys in the blend were put to rest in 2017 and bottled in 2022.
Final Thoughts
Well the gobsmacking continues! Last night I was convinced I was sipping a rye, but it turned out to be a bourbon. Tonight I was convinced I was sipping a bourbon, but it turned out to be a rye. Hindsight is typically 20/20, but there were ignored clues throughout my tasting that this whiskey was not a bourbon. The genuine lack of corn sweetness was the biggest; I even mentioned my doubts, but was not convinced enough to change my opinion. Lesson learned - when doubts begin to creep in, take a moment to evaluate. On the upside, I totally nailed the strength again and my guess as to the whiskey's age was similarly spot-on.
Sadly, I did not get much of the fruit (fig and apple) mentioned in the official tasting notes. I did however pick up on the floral spiciness (another ignored clue). All in all, I very much enjoyed this whiskey. I thought it was far more complex than Day #1's sample which I suspect is due to the blend of whiskeys in play here. Three different whiskeys blended together has yielded a final product a good bit more interesting than any of the individual components on their own. Coincidentally, the vast majority of American whiskeys that I enjoy sipping neat tend to be 'modified' in some way. Be it finished in a wine barrel (Angel's Envy), exposed to secondary wood (Maker's 46), or a blend of all the above (Legent). As such, it makes a lot of sense that Day 2's blended whiskey resonated with me as much as it did. Also, kudos to MGP, while they are a gargantuan whiskey factory, they do churn out consistently excellent whiskey.
What will tomorrow bring? Hopefully a correct identification of the whiskey's type!
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