How low are you able to go?

I

am not speaking about plumbing the depths of high quality in whiskey… a minimum of I hope not, having not but tried the bottle featured in at the moment’s overview. Somewhat, I’m asking how a lot the value of a bottle must be reduce earlier than engaging an in any other case skeptical purchaser.

Would 58% off make you attain in your pockets? That’s the proportion low cost from record worth at which I observed this bottle on the clearance rack. Maybe that’s the incorrect query to be asking, nonetheless. In spite of everything, you would reduce 58% off the value of a $10,000 whiskey, and I’m unsure there can be many takers. It’s a uncommon, well-heeled whiskey purchaser that can ever spend $1,000 on a bottle; multiply that by 4 or extra, and the numbers probably dwindle additional.

As a substitute, let me rephrase the query: what’s a worth – in absolute phrases – at which you’d really feel comfy taking a flier on a brand new bottle? How about $50? Appears affordable to me, relying on the supply of the whiskey in query and the specs. Luckily, we now have a bit of data on this bottle which may allow an knowledgeable evaluation.

That is an unconventional whiskey by American requirements: rye from massive distillery identified for the amount (if not the standard) of its output, blended with rye from a distinct mash invoice – and produced utilizing a distinct nonetheless sort – from a smaller craft distillery that has rapidly gained a popularity for excellence. I’m speaking, respectively, about Tullahoma, Tennessee’s Cascade Hole Distillery (producer of the George Dickel household of whiskies) collaborating with Denver’s Leopold Bros.

Dickel appears to have taken the lead in advertising and marketing and distributing this one (not a shock, given mum or dad Diageo’s footprint in comparison with that of a craft distillery); the primary Google search end result takes you to Dickel’s personal website for this expression.

Let’s disaggregate the part bits. Initially, I assumed the Dickel rye isn’t really Dickel rye, within the sense of being distilled at Cascade Hole. The reported Dickel rye mash invoice (95% rye, with 5% malted barley) is the inform, right here. It is a signature rye recipe of Indiana’s MGP, from which Dickel sources its rye whiskey (or did). As an fascinating apart: The Whiskey Ramble informs me that Dickel makes use of the Lincoln County Course of on this MGP rye.

So, what would a standard buyer usually count on to pay for this Indiana rye with a Tennessee accent? On the identical retailer the place I procured this bottle, Dickel’s commonplace rye (90 proof/45% ABV) goes for $26. That’s fairly a bit decrease than the instructed worth of this bottle; extra on that in a minute.

There’s a wrinkle, although: an eagle-eyed reader identified that Dickel has began distilling its personal rye, per the press launch for this expression. I’m grateful for the correction, and may subsequently regulate my expectations considerably.

As for the Leopold Bros piece: I’ve heard loads of optimistic word-of-mouth evaluations about their whiskey – notably their Three Chamber Rye – however have but to style any myself. John was very eager on their Bottled-in-Bond bourbon when he tried it again in 2002. The Three Chamber rye fetches a fairly penny; the 2022 Vacation Version has a $200 asking worth close to me, and you may pay an additional $50 for a “Signed Collector’s Version” of this expression.

What makes this rye particular sufficient to command such a premium? Leopold Bros’ personal website for the expression supplies us this info:

Leopold Bros. painstakingly re-engineered a Three Chamber Nonetheless from outdated manuscripts and grew the heritage grain Abruzzi rye that was favored by Pre-Prohibition distillers to resurrect this one-of-a-kind whiskey.

It’s precisely what craft distillers must be doing, for my part: utilizing distinctive nonetheless sorts and heritage grain varietals to supply a whiskey that’s distinct from these being produced in higher portions (and, relatedly, cheaper) by the larger distillers. It’s one of many solely reputable justifications, to me, for the excessive costs (in comparison with different whiskeys) that craft distillers typically cost. For no matter it’s value, the 2022 launch was stated to be from barrels which can be “a minimum of 5 years outdated,” although we now have no such assure concerning the elements of this mix. The mash invoice is broadly reported as 80% Abruzzi rye, 20% malted barley (from Leopold Bros’ personal flooring malting).

However, we’re not getting the unadulterated product right here. We don’t even know the proportions of the Dickel and Leopold Bros whiskeys within the mix. Working backwards from the respective retail costs (maybe not pretty to Dickel, as that is their very own distillate, not MGP), I derive the equation 120 = 200x + 26(1-x). Utilizing my highschool algebra expertise to unravel for x (thanks, Mrs. Kritzberg!) I get roughly 54% Leopold Bros, 46% Dickel. Whether or not these are, in truth, the true proportions (Leopold Bros’ restricted output and my very own cynicism would recommend they aren’t) must stay a topic of hypothesis, as no such info has been supplied about this launch.

Stepping again a second: I’ve given you the “what,” however not the “why,” Why does this mix exist? What does it hope to perform? Effectively, column stills (of the kind utilized by Dickel for his or her piece) produce a lighter, much less flavorful spirit. In contrast, distilling on the kind of three chamber nonetheless Leopold Bros have reconstructed ends in a heavier, fuller-bodied spirit. The aspiration, greatest I can inform, is to marry the 2 kinds to supply a mode that’s higher than the sum of its components. Will this experiment be a hit? It stays to be seen, although I hope to offer you a solution shortly.

One other excellent query: how ought I rating this, with respect to our price-sensitive scoring bands? I’m going to make use of the $50 I paid as my reference worth, however will add a observe on the finish about whether or not I’d be joyful to pay the unique ask. A closing element: this involves us at 100 proof (50% ABV).

George Dickel x Leopold Bros Collaboration Mix – Assessment

Shade: Medium golden orange.

On the nostril: Wealthy rye notes, of a sort that make this instantly alluring. There’s the steely, laborious fringe of the grain, with a spherical and plump herbaceous observe sitting firmly in the course of the nostril. Suppose eucalyptus or menthol, however of probably the most full, spherical, polished selection. There are some candy notes swirling across the periphery, in ephemeral kind; cotton sweet disappears and is quickly changed by the cellophane-wrapped strawberry laborious candies that each grandmother has in a crystal bowl. I get a barely odd whiff of latex bandage in right here, although this yields to an altogether extra nice scent of pine bough.

Within the mouth: Begins with an effervescent texture and a singular taste profile, one which takes me fairly a little bit of time to pin down. There’s a light woody accent right here, a handful of spices of undetermined selection, and a reprise of the nostril’s eucalpytus observe. That strawberry sweet observe reemerges for a second as this transitions to the center of the mouth. There, this has a medicinal depth from each a taste and a texture perspective; if you happen to think about the syrupy, overwhelming style of Robitussin or NyQuil cough syrup, you’re most likely shut. This dies down from a taste perspective into the end; the sensations are largely textural previous the midpalate, with some extra effervescence augmented by a slowly rising warmth that makes this really feel a bit punchier than 50% ABV. This fades quick, nonetheless, leaving a weak and barely stale woody closing impression, together with an uncomfortable return of that uncanny latex taste.

Conclusions:

Not a rye for all palates by any measure, however what this lacks in mainstream attraction (and, certainly, steadiness in lots of locations) it largely makes up for in some very intriguing aromas and flavors. Those that like their ryes forceful will probably be delighted by the nostril, a minimum of. The odd birds within the crowd who didn’t want a spoonful of sugar to make the drugs go down might really feel a pleasing nostalgia when the cough syrup notes actually hit within the heart of the tongue.

That stated, it’s not a whiskey that has me reaching for one more glass. I’ll most likely use the remainder of this bottle for Manhattans and different cocktails; if any of my rye-loving mates get curious, I’d even be joyful to share a pattern with them. On the sale worth, I’m calling this even and awarding a rating on the midpoint of the vary.

Rating: 5/10

So, what would I’ve scored this if I had ponied up the unique $120 ask for a bottle? That’s a hell of some huge cash for a bottle of rye, given the handfuls of competing choices on the shelf from each established and craft distilleries. I’d most likely knock the rating all the way down to 4/10 on a day after I was feeling cheerful; catch me in a grumpy temper, and also you may be a 3/10. Both means, I’d strongly dissuade anybody from paying far more than I did for this. When you’re an incorrigible discount hunter, although, you would possibly wish to act whereas provides final.