Old Carter Straight Rye Whiskey Batch 14 (75cl, 61.5%)

Batch 14 is the fourteenth release in Old Carter's Straight Rye series, from Mark and Sherri Carter, the founders of Kentucky Owl and Old Carter Whiskey Co. It is bottled at barrel strength, 123 proof (61.5% ABV), and is non-chill filtered, with Sherri hand-labelling each bottle. The rye is sourced from select Kentucky and Tennessee distilleries, and each batch is blended and bottled when the Carters judge the barrels ready rather than to a set calendar. On the nose there is rye spice, caramel, vanilla, dark fruit, toasted oak and a little mint. The palate is bold and rich with cinnamon, pepper, toffee and dried cherry, and the finish is long and spicy.