4 | Spirits | Rye, 750 ml

A "rendezvous" of 6 year old and 16 year old extreme rye whiskies (95% & 80% rye respectively), this upstart from Park City, UT has a winner on it's hand as Master Distiller David Perkins works his magic with gin, vodka, and brandy as well.

"You might read the backstory of this whiskey - the company claims it's a Prohibition-era recipe and was Al Capone's favorite - and think this is just marketing-driven hooch, but that's far from true. Templeton is a well-balanced rye that's perfect for the holidays. It has a nose of mint and pine and delivers smooth butterscotch and allspice. A true winter warmer. Mr. Capone apparently had very good taste."
Wall Street Journal

Moderately light bodied. Reminiscent of toasted oats, hazelnuts, lemon. Delicate, soft texture. Brisk and slightly tart on the palate. Easy on the lighter citrus notes as more seasoned grainy and nutty elements dominate. Quite pungent in the finish.

A blend of two straight whiskeys: a very young 2 year old high rye content whiskey and a 16 year old rye whiskey with a lower rye content. Perhaps the spiciest American whiskey I have ever tasted, yet at the same time, quite tame and mellow. Complex notes of mint, clove, cinnamon, licorice root, pine nuts, and dark chocolate, with a surprising dose of gin botanicals throughout. A soft underbelly of caramel, sweet corn, and soothing vanilla provides an interesting counterpoint. Very easy-drinking, too (hard to believe it’s 46%). Intriguing, and a must-try for rye whiskey aficionados — even if only to satisfy your curiosity.

"The first sniffings detect notes of black pepper and oak resin; aeration adds stone-dry scents of minerals, slate, and sage. The palate entry is lean, semisweet, intensely grainy, and satisfying; at midpalate the whiskey lies well on the tongue, sweet, grainy, medium plump, and spicy. Finishes spicy. A very solid rye whiskey that deserves a larger audience." 85-89 pts.