The Basics: 

Doc Swinson’s Distillery (sourced from MGP and finished in Rum barrels)

Release 21-006

95 Proof - NCF

NAS

$45 MSRP 

Nose:

Caramel apple lollipop, candied ginger, butterscotch, cardamom, and lemon peel. 

Palate: 

Peach rings, crystalized pineapple, white grape, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 

Finish:

Medium finish with ginger, lime zest, and mint. 

Final Thoughts:

Doc Swinson’s standard rye offering puts a twist on the traditional barrel finishing process by using the Solera Method traditionally found in Spain. For this rye, they finish the whiskey in a combination of ex-rum barrels that originate in St Croix, Trinidad, Venezuela, and Jamaica to create a unique finished whiskey. The nose opens with dessert-like aromas that remind me of the caramel apple lollipops you used to get at Halloween (you know the one in the green plastic wrapper). The apple works well with the ginger and cardamom notes also found on the nose. The palate brings additional fruit-forward flavors of peach rings and white grape before circling back to ginger and citrus on the finish. Overall, the rum finish has had a clear impact on the final product, however, it does not take away from the quality of the underlying whiskey. Many finished whiskies, especially rum, are dominated by the finishing barrel, but this offering seems to have a great cohesive balance. The sweet tropical fruit notes are enjoyable and pair well against the rye spice for a final product that is fairly price, and certainly worth checking out!