Spirits Blind Tasting - A Spirits People Podcast

1.13 - Kentucky Peerless Rye Whiskey & Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky

September 04, 2019 Johnny Michaelsen Season 1
Spirits Blind Tasting - A Spirits People Podcast
1.13 - Kentucky Peerless Rye Whiskey & Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky
Show Notes Chapter Markers

In this episode of the Spirits Blind Tasting podcast I'm doing a blind tasting of the Kentucky Peerless Rye Whiskey & Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky. Feel free to follow along with a dram of any of these or any other spirit you enjoy as I try to uncover the aromas and flavors of these 2 spirits.

If you're interested in behind the scenes video recordings from this episode, please join me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/spiritspeople

My tasting notes from this episode can also be found below:

Spirit A - Kentucky Peerless Rye Whiskey (54% ABV)

Appearance

  • Clarity: Clear
  • Intensity: Medium
  • Color: Amber
  • Suggested texture: High viscosity

Nose

  • Condition: Clean
  • Intensity: Medium
  • Aroma characteristics: Sweetcorn, toffee, vanilla, honey, fresh orange peel, hints of malt, cinnamon, cloves, hints of gingerbread, dry toasted oak, floral notes
  • Other notes: A lot of aromas present. Not a lot of ethanol on the nose, feels quite soft but yet very clear aromas. Has a dryness to it. Classic bourbon characteristics.
  • ABV: 45%-50%

Palate

  • Sweetness: Dry
  • Texture: Mouth filling, warming, high viscosity
  • Intensity: Pronounced
  • Flavor characteristics: Caramel, peppercorn, cinnamon, cloves, gingerbread, coffee beans, dried orange peel, burnt toast, charred oak, floral/fragrant.
  • Other notes: Has a little bit of burn going down
  • Finish: Long and complex (cloves, coffee beans, orange peel, floral/fragrant)
  • ABV: ~55%

Conclusion

  • Quality level: Outstanding
  • Blind guess: High rye bourbon, 8-10 years, maybe Four Roses


Spirit B - Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky (45% ABV)

Appearance

  • Clarity: Clear
  • Intensity: Deep
  • Color: Gold
  • Suggested texture: Medium viscosity

Nose

  • Condition: Clean
  • Intensity: Medium
  • Aroma characteristics: Fresh lemon peel, over-ripe bananas, vanilla, butterscotch, gummybears, gingerbread, hints of fresh grass 
  • Other notes: Completely different nose than Spirit A. Much sweeter in profile and more delicate aromas (subdued). Could be a wheated whiskey, but has a few Rye characteristics as well.
  • ABV: ~45%

Palate

  • Sweetness: Dry
  • Texture: Silky, sweet, Light > medium viscosity
  • Intensity: Medium
  • Flavor characteristics: Fresh ginger, ripe bananas (gummybears), vanilla, fresh grass, honey, fresh lemon peel, hints of fresh pear, floral/fragrant, hints or oak/char.
  • Other notes: Much sweeter and lighter ABV profile than Spirit A. A little bitterness coming through at the end, but it remains quite sweet/simple in a sense that most flavors are very similar and could benefit from some more range.
  • Finish: Medium with some complexity (banana, oak)
  • ABV: ~45%

Conclusion

  • Quality level: Very good
  • Blind guess: Rye whiskey, 3-4 years


If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me at any time on Instagram @spiritspeople

Nosing the spirits
Tasting the spirits
Revealing the spirits