Pikesville Rye

[The Knize]

Anyone have any thoughts on Pikesville Rye, in particular the discontinued but still available white label 3 year old?

The high-priced green label 6 year-old 110 proof has been getting off the chart reviews, but comments seem to be along the lines of an upscale Rittenhouse Rye.

I suspect the green and white label expressions have virtually nothing to do with each other, which is kind of annoying, along with the claims of pre-prohibition connections for a label once made in Maryland, now made in Kentucky by the getting larger all the time Heaven Hill operation. I do like HH's products for the most part.

I do think the fairly priced white label may become something of a cult item.

 

[ColonelHogan]

That's a shame. I enjoyed the white label. I still have 1/3 a bottle. I was enjoying Bulleit for a few years too but the price creeps up every time I hit the shop. I'm easy to please, however. There'll always be Old Overholt.

 

[eezee]

I am not familiar with this whiskey. Could you post a pic of the label?

 

[The Knize]

Too hard to post pic on what I am using to access the internet just now. Google in images Pikesville Rye. Both should come right up.

I got a bottle of the 110 proof six year old this evening ($50.99) and just had a thimbleful. I do not completely trust my taste buds these days--have not been doing any blind tasting of anything, much less over-proof whiskey. But I would say this is the real deal. Very smooth, very intense, spicy, buttery. Not a bourbon. I might be blown away by this one. I had a similar impression of greatness the first time I tasted the Whistle Pig regular expression. But this one is much more forward. I am hoping it mixes well. I found that the Whistle Pig did not mix particularly well.

 

[Whisky]

I am hoping it mixes well

Pikesville 110 proof six year is exceptional Rye. I like it much more than the Whistle Pig. If I want a "top shelf" Manhattan it is my go to Rye. I also really like the 6yr Sazerac Rye but until recently it was very hard to find around here.

 

[The Knize]

I pretty much agree with what Whisky said, although I think I like the Whistle Pig better straight up. I have not had the Sazerac 6 yo in a while, but I remember really liking it. It has really gone up in price, if I remember.

The Pikesville 110 seems to be excellent in drinks. Does seem like a souped up Rittenhouse. Smoother and more fire both.

I have been buying up what I can find of the discontinued Pikesville regular expression. Seems like a bargain at $12.99 for a decent rye. I have not tried the Overholt. It seems better than the yellow label version of Jim Beam rye. I have not tried the green label version. Who knows, maybe it will become a cult item!

 

[The Knize]

I bought some Old Overholt. Seems pretty harsh. Harshness is not necessarily a bad thing in a mixed drink, if along with it comes flavor. I would say it is quite flavorful, so pretty good in what Amada in Philly calls a Matador, which seems to be our house drink these days. (Muddled candied ginger, rye, fresh lemon juice, elderflower liqueur, orange peel--shaken not stirred and strained into rocks.)

I generally go high-end with cocktail ingredients thinking, as in cooking, that the final product is pretty much the sum of the ingredients, and if using high quality ingredients throughout, a low quality ingredient will not have any place to hide. And life is too short to bother with cheap drinks at home. This is particularly true of Manhattans and Margaritas. But, here, I am not sure that St. Germain and the better Pikesville makes that much of a difference. (Actually, with this last sentence, I think I am lying to myself!) I did see some website where they test various spirits/liqueurs in various combinations in mixed drinks, and often conclude that the more expensive ingredients do not necessarily make the best drinks. However, I think the conclusion is really, more, one has to pick the right expensive ingredient. Not ever great rye makes a great Manhattan. Not every great tequila, even great blanco tequila, makes a great Margarita.