Distiller: MGP for for Smooth Ambler Spirits

Release: 2021

Whiskey: Old Scout Rye

Region: Maxwelton, WV

Price: $45.00

Proof: 114

Age:  4 Years

The Barrel Cellar Score:  87 Points

Review Date: 07/26/2021

About the Bourbon: From the bottle; “Smooth Ambler Old Scout is a collection of fine curated whiskeys “scouted” during our efforts to find exceptional spirits with smoothness and flavor we admire. Old Scout Rye is a very high rye mash bill, crafted in carefully chosen small batches.” The distiller this whiskey was sourced from is MGP in indiana.

I enjoyed the whiskey for this review using a set of Prestige diamond whiskey glasses.

Color: Pale Amber

Nose:  Vanilla, oak dried fruits, smoke, dill spice, honey, and fresh cut pine.

Palate:  Smoke, snickerdoodle, butter cream, dried apricot, cobbler crumble, leather, cinnamon, and citrus.  Drop a couple of cubes in and it sweetens a bit with notes of sweet green apple, pear, pineapple, carrot, honey graham cracker, and milk chocolate.

Finish: Sustained with notes of cured tobacco, black pepper and oak

Assessment: The bottle identifies the juice within as “sweet and smooth;” which pretty much hits it on the head. Considering the bottle’s relatively high ABV, Old Scout Rye’s high proof is held in check by its full body and sweet overtones; there is very little heat at any point on the palate. I’ll also note that I wouldn’t call this a sweet spirit, but it is on the sweeter side of the spectrum for a rye.

The list of flavor notes on my palate is quite impressive; there are a lot of them!  Served neat, the contrast between the wide variety of notes, and the sweetness can give an initial impression of a disjointed offering, however, I found that enjoying it with some ice evened out the dram. The ice improved the balance between the plentiful sweet and spicy notes and gives the dram a creamier texture.

At approximately $45 a bottle, this single barrel Rye is a good value.

The Barrel Cellar gives Smooth Ambler Spirits Old Scout Rye 87 points.

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