Today we have two bottles of rye facing off that I am comparing simply because I bought them at the same time ;)
These are both sourced, both lower proof, and both in an affordable price range.

Fancy Glencairn thinks she is going to like anything Jim Rutledge makes… Let’s dive in!

🥃Riverset) $30. 93 proof. From B.R. Distilling. Sourced from an undisclosed Tennessee distillery with a 95% rye mashbill. At least 4yrs old.
-The Nose is light but with very enticing green apple, vanilla, cinnamon, and a hint of peach.
-The Palate is initially sweet vanilla, then green apple, then cinnamon, then slight white pepper as we move into…
-The Finish is medium, with mild pepper spice moving into leather, more vanilla, and lingering oak with apple.
⭐️Overall this is an extremely pleasant, light rye with excellent cinnamon apple flavors. I would love to find a Single Barrel cask strength bottle!

🥃High Plains) $55. 97 proof. From J.W. Rutledge Distillery. A blend of 5 rye whiskeys from 4 states:

— Kentucky Artisan Distillery (makers of Jefferson’s Bourbon)
— Middle West Distillery (Ohio producers of their own spirits, and also the distiller of Horse Soldier Bourbon)
— MGP of Indiana (Bulleit Rye, Templeton Rye, and countless others)
— New York Distilling Co. (Ragtime Rye)

-The Nose reminds me of a lot of young craft releases with dominant oak char and caramel corn. But there is a lot more here including black pepper, dill, cocoa, and slight apple.
-The Palate is initially sweet toffee, but then a lot of black pepper, black tea, apricot, cinnamon, and mild mint. Throughout the palate there is a background of oak char and those “craft corn” notes.
-The Finish is medium, and brings more black pepper, vanilla, and lightly tannic oak char (bordering on charcoal).
⭐️Overall, this one is a complex mash of flavors that I’m not sure fully works together. It’s definitely an interesting one, but I’m very sensitive to younger oak char and corn flavors that keeps this one from being great for me.

🏆VERDICT) While I’m happy to have tried High Plains Rye, I’m not sure I would every buy another bottle… Riverset on the other hand, may be one of the best lower-proof, value ryes I’ve had! I’ll always have a bottle in stock, and that makes it the winner today!

What do you guys think??