Wild Ryes! Saints Alley Nobleman Rye #4, Driftless Glen Pick, & Fortuitous Union!

Описание: Shortcuts/Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro
5:27 – Nobleman Nosing
7:30 – Nobleman Tasting
12:08 – Driftless Glen Nosing
13:19 – Driftless Glen Tasting
15:35 – Fortuitous Nosing
17:09 – Fortuitous Tasting

These aren't your regular ol' boring rye whiskies! Today we're featuring 3 wild ryes that are sure to please most rye drinkers.

The Nobleman Special Edition Rye (Batch 4) will retail around the country in Total Wine stores between $69 - $79 and is still bottled at 107 proof. When the previous Batch 3 of “The Nobleman” was named the “Best American Rye” by Whisky Magazine’s - World Whiskies Awards a couple months back in 2024, we at Ironroot knew Batch 4 would have its work cut out for it. But we just stuck to our methods that got us here, and continue to only select barrels that are ready, and refuse to rush anything. If you’re unfamiliar, all Saints Alley whiskies begin with sourced MGP (Indiana) bourbon or rye – Rye in the case of The Nobleman. While they may be 5-7 years old when we get them in, we age these sourced whiskies up in their original barrels for an additional 1-2 years here in North Texas. This allows us to utilize our extreme weather to bring out the best in them by “breathing” the whiskeys deep into and out of the wood. Of course, Saints Alley wouldn’t reach the same fantastic quality it has without that special touch of Ironroot’s Copper Pot distilled “Grain to Glass” Texas Whiskies in every batch! For The Nobleman, we add a little bit of Ironroot’s 5-year-old 60% rye whiskey (that has yet to be released) to the 6 to 8-year-old MGP 95/5 (percentage of rye to barley) Rye whiskey. The exact amount of Ironroot in our Saints Alley blends varies (as everything we do is to taste), but in general I like to say its’ like a roux in cooking, “It’s not a lot, but it’s totally necessary.” It just adds a viscosity boost and depth of flavor to our whiskies that you’ll feel with every sip. Once the unfinished rye blend is ready, we fill Hungarian Tokaji (pronounced Tok-eye) casks with it. Tokaji is a Noble-rot wine (hence the "Nobleman" name) where the grapes are left to shrivel and condense their sugars in the presence of naturally occurring Noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). These grapes often gain unique flavors, and you’ll experience them beautifully in this rye whiskey!

The Driftless Glen Single Barrel Rye is bottled at a cask strength of 117 proof and retails around $69-$79. It’s minimally filtered, and according to their website, “At Driftless Glen, our goal is to make spirits as unique as the people who taste them. So, when we searched the country for a terroir harboring the grain and water necessary to make a matchless expression of bourbon and rye, we couldn’t ignore the Driftless Area in Wisconsin. We discovered a bountiful region rich with peat, bogs, an amazing aquifer, and uncommon sandy soil for our grains to grow in. Now, people come from around the country to discover this region for themselves and to experience all that we have to offer. Our edge of the Driftless Area is known as Sand County and is distinctive from the rest of the world because of the specific combination of temperature, water, soil, and weather – which all combine to help form our remarkable spirits. Come visit us on the banks of the Baraboo River, the longest mainstream restored free-flowing river in America, and witness the masterful distilling process we use to bring our unique spirits to life. We take pride in our 44-foot-tall column still along with our one-of-a-kind pot still. Using local Midwest grain and water from the Driftless Region, we produce and barrel whiskey daily, and we are always happy to demonstrate how important superior distillation is to us. Come, share our dream and “Taste the American Spirit.” - Brian & Reneé Bemis

Rolling Fork’s $45-$55 “Fortuitous Union” Batch 2 is bottled at 110.6 proof. It’s a unique blend of 85% rum from Barbados (Foursquare), undisclosed Jamaican and Dominican Republic distilleries, and 15% MGP’s 95/5 (percentage of rye to barley) rye whiskey. That blend was then put into a combination of Woodford Double Oaked & Buffalo Trace’s Weller barrels. The finished product is fun and enjoyable, but to be honest, it’s not that much of a rye. I and my friends just really enjoyed it, so I stuff it in this “Wild Ryes” video! 😉

As of November 2024, my current bottle count is over 3,000. I am a Certified Specialist of Spirits and have also been accredited by the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT). I've been actively collecting for three decades and what started as a small basic home bar has transformed (with the help and understanding of my wonderful wife) into this collection and career. Speaking of my career, I’m super proud to announce that my “Saints Alley “Nobleman” Rye Whiskey was named “Best American Rye” at the 2024 World Whisky Awards (Batch 4 should be arriving in Total Wines now)! Thanks for watching & please remember to drink responsibly. Cheers!