Pine needles | Fresh grain | Faint mint | Tree sap | Oak | Light vanilla cream

Syrup | Light brown butter | Rye spice | Pie crust | Vanilla frosting | Cinnamon bark | Oak | Silky mouthfeel

Rye spice | Vanilla cream | Light maple syrup | Touch of oak & smoke

Phyllis is distilled in Vermont using 100% Vermont grains. The distillery strives to be good stewards of the land, which operates via their registered Landcrafted mission. One of the brands distilled at Barr Hill Distillery, the company started distilling in 2011 using a 15 gallon copper pot still at their location in Hardwick, Vermont, near the Barr Hill Nature Preserve, their namesake. In 2019, the company moved to a new location in Montpelier, where they built out a distillery with increased production capacity.

Phyllis Vermont Rye marks a pivotal moment for the brand, as the company states that “it is the first year-round core whiskey available in their Phyllis Whiskey portfolio.” While no age statement is provided on the bottle, the company goes on to state that “Phyllis Rye Whiskey incorporates whiskey that has been aged, distilled and bottled at our facility over the course of our 10-plus year whiskey making journey.”

Lifting the glass up immediately reveals two things: this isn’t your standard rye, and this whiskey can go one of two ways. You’re greeted with a herbaceous aroma full of pleasing pine needles, faint mint, and tree sap; however, a fresh grain scent leaves you on edge that this may be more along the lines of a youthful craft whiskey. Instead, the palate and finish reveal pleasing sweet flavors that integrate nicely with a healthy amount of rye spice. Neither sweet nor spice dominates, instead providing a nice compromise between the two flavor spectrums.

Vermont is known for its endless forests, and Phyllis Vermont Rye manages to capture that essence in a bottle with their latest release. The initial aroma, with its fresh grain component, leads you to believe that this will be more youthful than not; however, the sip is anything but. Full of sweet and interesting flavors, it’s a rye that stands out in a crowd and will intrigue those looking for a differentiated pour compared to so many well-known ryes on the market from Kentucky and Indiana.

The rye in review is from batch number 01-2025.