Rye spice | Spicy pepper | Butterscotch | Hazelnut | Dark chocolate | Leafy greens

Rye spice | Anaheim pepper | Orange chocolate | Cinnamon

Rye spice | Heavy oak | Black pepper | Nutmeg | Leather | Mildly dry

Blending rye from different distilleries isn’t new, but making a point to name names and shine a spotlight on the curation process is. The difference between what Barrell Craft Spirits does and what Lost Lantern (and a few others) are doing is purposely vetting distilleries that are known for their own distillate. These distilleries usually don’t sell their distillate to others for blending, and making a big deal about blending these unlikely ryes together isn't common. Think of it this way, what if someone sourced Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Wild Turkey, and Jim Beam bourbons, blended them, and unleashed it on the market with full disclosure of its components. It’s likely not every distillery would be open to such a concept and allow someone other than their own master distiller or master blender so much creative freedom.

Following up on last year’s Far-Flung Bourbon, Far-Flung Rye follows a similar approach but adds a more regional approach to the blend. All of the blended ryes for this release are from the Midwest and are quite diverse from each other. The result is a blended rye that is truly one of a kind.    

Rye spice dominates the sip, as this thoroughly spicy affair in more ways than one. Spicy pepper can be pulled out on the nose, and in the palate, it mellows, converting to a more acute Anaheim pepper note. The finish offers heavy oak that is punctuated by black pepper. Beyond the blended spicy notes, the nose offers a nice array of butterscotch, hazelnut, and dark chocolate. Similarly, the palate serves up orange chocolate and cinnamon before the rye finishes with nutmeg and leather. There is a good depth of flavors offered and it ends up being one of the more spicy ryes in recent memory. Some of this is punched up by the whiskey’s 121.6 proof, but overall this is hearty rye with big flavor and even bigger spice.

Far Flung Rye is a 486 bottle release.