Catoctin Creek – Black Friday Barrel Select Rye Whisky (75cl, 46%)

This is a Black Friday edition of the Barrel Select series from Catoctin Creek in Virginia. The rye is made from 100% rye and distilled in copper pot stills. It matured in new American oak, then received a finish in stout beer barrels from the Crooked Run Fermentation brewery. It comes from two casks and was bottled at 46% as 628 numbered bottles, non-chill-filtered and of natural colour. The nose opens with cinnamon and cocoa, then nutmeg and cloves, with dark chocolate, green apple, mint and a little menthol. The palate is creamy and soft, with ripe pear, cocoa, black pepper, toasted malt and liquorice. The finish is medium, with toasted macadamia nuts and sweet caramel.