Brown sugar | Mixed ripe stone fruits | Light vanilla custard | Toasted cinnamon | Leather

Rye spice | Baking spices | Cinnamon stick | Black peppercorn | Leather | Charred oak | Bold

Rye spice | Cinnamon stick | Dry pie crust | Barrel char | Leather | Slightly dry

Onyx & Amber was created by Ben Rosen, best known for creating the Colorado Bourbon and Rye Collectors in 2017. Based in Denver, Colorado, the company currently focuses on sourcing single barrels ranging in age between 6-27 years old. While no barrel designation was provided on our bottle, Rosen informed us that it was a smaller yield, producing only 90 bottles.

The ornate gold wax-topped bottle leads to a bold sip. A rye from Indiana with a 95/5 mashbill usually displays a thread of fruit throughout, and Onyx & Amber Rye starts off this way. An aroma of mixed ripe stone fruits mixes nicely with brown sugar and toasted cinnamon, along with light vanilla custard. The fruit notes drop off as the midpoint brings about bold, spice-filled flavors along with grounding notes of leather and charred oak. The finish comes off as slightly flat compared to the rest of the sip, with rye spice leading the way, followed by dry notes of pie crust, barrel char, and leather.

This single barrel rye from Onyx & Amber is presumably from Ross & Squibb Distillery (MGP) and utilizes their classic 95/5 Indiana rye mashbill. While it contains a hint of fruit notes upfront, it’s less sweet than other sourced 95/5 ryes on the market, instead leaning into its spice notes. With a drier finish that falls flat compared to the rest of the sip, it’ll have a hard time staying memorable in consumers' minds. That said, rye lovers looking for a spicy pour will be right at home.