Catoctin Creek
Straight Rye Whiskey
Barrel #2095
100% Rye
119.5 Proof

Distilled July 2017
Bottled September 2020
One of 132 Bottles

We're very picky. As a matter of fact, we're the condescending pricks who've been going to whiskey shows for years and snickering under our breath about how bad all the craft whiskey tastes. Yeah, you know the ones, pretentious bourbon snobs who keep talking about how we only drink Buffalo Trace Antiques and well-aged Willetts. Douchebags.

And we've been no friendlier to the dozens of craft distillers who've tried to sell us barrels over the years. We have a simple rule, if we don't want to bring a case of the barrel home, we don't buy the barrel. We're not going to name names, but that hasn't been the case with a single craft whiskey we've auditioned over the past four years. Whenever we do something new, whether it's an outrageous rum, a ridiculously old Armagnac, or in this case a craft whiskey, we want to make sure it's banging. And we just hadn't found that. Until now...

Catoctin Creek has been quietly winning ridiculous amount of awards for their grain-to-table Virginia style rye. They do it right: a 100% rye mashbill cooked in a pot still and aged in 30 gallon Minnesota White Oak barrels, served up straight from the barrel, non-chill-filtered, and at cask strength. The result is immediately obvious. This is a craft whiskey, but it's deep-orange honey dark, rich in flavor, oily on the tongue, and has an incredibly unique flavor.

The nose is all kinds of citrus, flowers, and spices. Candied orange peels, honey/molasses, purple flowers like lilacs and lavendar, some rich garden spices (rosemary?), and everything wrapped in a nice sweet wood char. The first thing you notice on the tongue is the viscosity, which immediately sets it apart from the thinness of many craft ryes. It's super heavy and oily with thick back-of-the-tongue flavors. The candy continues on the palate: red gummy bears, chamomile tea with lots of honey, more little pops of citrus and flowers. And the finish brings everything together with a spicy, woody close. There's very little burn for almost 120 proof, and this sits beautifully at cask strength without any water added.

Consider us changed beasts. We're going to start paying attention to the craft scene a little closer, because there are definitely some gems to be found out there. These 30 gallon barrels are pretty small so there are only 132 bottles of this available. Enjoy this experience with us, or as the french say, find your "Joie de Beavre!"