Pinhook “Rye’d On Vs. “Hard Rye Guy”

Today we have a matchup between Pinhook rye releases; 2020 Vs 2021.
I loved the first release last year and immediately thought I would be looking forward to watching it as it spent more time in barrels…

These have a mashbill of 60% rye, 20% corn, and 20% malted barley. This is contract distilled at Castle and Key, and expertly blended by Sean Josephs.

Fancy Glencairn gets the night off thanks to this beautiful Spinning Tumbler from Whiskira … They were generous enough to send 3 different designs and they are all stunning!

Rye’d On) Aged 2.5yrs. $38
-The Nose starts with STRONG floral and herbal notes, spearmint, and a hint of vanilla and cloves.
-The Palate starts with some sweet vanilla, but those floral/herbal notes quickly appear, along with some orange-peel, clove, and white pepper.
-The Finish is medium, with that pepper spice turning into some vanilla frosting.
Overall, I love the incredibly unique floral characteristics of this bottle, but it’s not super complex, and it does have the mouthfeel of a younger spirit.

Hard Rye Guy) 80% Aged 3.5yrs, 20% 2.5yrs. $38
-The Nose is similar with those beautiful floral and herbal notes dominating, but there are deeper notes of vanilla-cream, cinnamon, and guava. I seriously want a cologne of this...
-The Palate is also more creamy, with vanilla sweet-cream, edible flowers, cinnamon, orange-peel, dark cherries, clove, and a hint of mint.
-The Finish is medium, with cinnamon and black pepper trailing into lingering brown-sugar.
Overall, this is everything I hoped another year in the barrel would bring!

VERDICT) Clearly another year of barrel aging puts this year’s release from Pinhook over the top. It’s an INSTANT buy at $38, and I would put it up there with Willett Family Estate 4yr rye! (Very high praise from me!). I will be eagerly buying each new rye release from Pinhook for sure. Excellent job Sean!!

Have you guys had a chance to try this release yet?!