Sipp’n Corn Tasting Notes – Pursuit United Blended Straight Rye Whiskeys

I was a big fan of the Pursuit United Bourbon blend, which redefined the bad connotations of the word “blended.”  Now Kenny and Ryan at Pursuit Spirits have released their first Rye Whiskey, sourcing barrels from arguably the best historic state for Rye—Maryland—and Kentucky, famous in its own right for its Kentucky-style Rye Whiskey.

Pursuit United Blended Straight Rye Tasting Notes

Whiskey:	Pursuit United Blended Straight Rye Whiskeys
Components:	Three mashbills from two distilleries—Sagamore Spirits (52% rye, 43% corn, 5% malted barley); Sagamore Spirits (95% rye and 5% malted barley); and Bardstown Bourbon Company (95% rye and 5% malted barley)
Age:	Unstated
ABV:	54% ABV (108 proof)
Cost:	$65.00

Appearance:
Copper amber.

Nose:
Vanilla, ripe berry sweetness, brown sugar, and graham cracker crust balanced with baking spice and a hint of coffee.  The rye complexity shines with black pepper and cinnamon.

Taste:
Each time that I tried it, my first sip was a blast of cinnamon candy, but each time that note also dissipated with subsequent sips.  The cinnamon was still there but balanced with dark fruit, brown sugar, and caramel, evolving to a dryer whiskey with oak, black pepper, baking spice, a little leather, and oak.  There’s nothing young about this remarkable Rye.

Finish:
Classic finish of a high-rye Rye with black pepper but no prickly bitterness that I find in some of the Indiana high rye whiskies.  There’s also a great black tea vibe in the finish and some lasting oak.

Bottom Line

This is a fantastic Rye and I hope that it encourages more brands to work on the art of blending.  There are way too many high-rye Ryes all from that same place in Indiana.  Pursuit Spirits is on to something huge here.