Review #377 - Rossville Union Single Barrel Rye - Wiseguy Lounge Pick '95/5'
Wiseguy Lounge Barrel Pick Series: Part 9 of 20
Midwest Grain Products (MGP) has been the source of whisky for dozens, or probably hundreds, of brands over the last couple of decades; more recently, they've been launching products under their own labels. One of those is Rossville Union, a reference to the original name of the MGP plant in Lawrenceburg, Indiana: the Rossville Distillery, established in 1847. Now, it goes by the name of Ross & Squibb.
This Rossville Union straight rye is sometimes available for single barrel pick variants, and that's what we have here: the Wiseguy Lounge named this cask strength rye '95/5,' paying homage to MGP's most famous mashbill, made of 95% rye grain and 5% malted barley. That's the spirit that goes into this bottle; while we don't have an age statement, we do know that it's bottled at barrel proof - 59.3% ABV (118.6 proof), in this case.
Rossville Union Single Barrel Rye - Wiseguy Lounge Pick '95/5'
USA - Rye
Price: USD 60 (2024)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 59.3% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle at 100% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Oaky, with some barbecue smells, and then a bit of rye character comes through: herbal, a little musty. There's an interesting rubber note at times, and then a dry curacao note arrives.
Palate: The mouthfeel is thick; this is a bit hot and spicy, like red hot candies. Great texture - oily and viscous, and there are a lot of interesting flavors here. Cinnamon sugar, sweet oatmeal, and sweet red cherry are balanced by spicier flavors of amaro and black licorice.
Finish: Lots of spice in the finish: black pepper and white pepper, some cinnamon, and then an herbal side, like sage. There are hints of mint, and in the aftertaste, orange fruit lingers. It's a medium-long finish.
Final Note: This was a very interesting rye - a lot of unusual flavors, especially in the palate. A bit of a wild sweet and spicy experience, and the proof definitely shows through... the texture was nice, but it was also a bit hot at times. This was also a rye that benefited from a decent amount of air time to open up.
Value here is pretty good, too, like the flavors - MGP is known for their high quality rye distillate, and this is a good example of it.
Our Average Rating: 7.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 7.15
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
