Blue Note Honey Rye Cask Review (2025)

Blue Note
Honey Rye Cask
2025 Release
Straight Rye Whiskey
Finished in Honey Barrels
Proof 116.49
SRP: $64.99
Review by Craig & Cynthia

Please enjoy our 2025 Blue Note Honey Rye Cask Review by Craig and Cynthia!

Introduction – 2025 Blue Note Honey Rye Cask Review

B.R. Distilling Co., the maker of Blue Note whiskeys, is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. They source their base spirits from distilleries such as Green River Distilling before aging and finishing them in Memphis to create their signature flavor profiles. The brand has earned recognition for its Juke Joint Uncut series, Honey Finished Rye and Bourbon, and their acclaimed 17-Year Bourbon.

The Specifics – Blue Note Honey Rye Cask 2025 Review

This is a traditional 95/5 rye whiskey. After aging, the whiskey was finished in Blue Note’s own used barrels, which had been loaned out to age locally sourced honey. Once the honey was removed, the barrels returned to Blue Note to age their Honey Cask Finished Bourbon and Rye.

Tasting Notes – Blue Note Honey Rye Cask 2025 Review

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn

🎨 Color: Tawny, dark copper

👉🏻 Nose (Craig): Fig with honey, rum cake
👉🏻 Nose (Cynthia): Honey and port wine

👉🏻 Taste (Craig): Honey-dipped apricots, floral, then banana bread drizzled in more honey!
👉🏻 Taste (Cynthia): Stone fruit and banana nut muffins with butter. Follow-up tastes had added hints of butterscotch candy and a thick coating of honey.

👉🏻 Finish (Craig): Viscous and fairly long; this one will warm your throat and chest.
👉🏻 Finish (Cynthia): Pleasantly long with subtle heat.

Summary – 2025 Blue Note Honey Rye Cask Review

Craig: On the nose, figs dipped in honey dominated my first sniff. Going back, there were nice floral notes as well as a strong sense of a thick and rich rum cake. I did not notice any traditional rye notes on the nose, though there were some on the palate. My first taste was an explosion of honey dipped apricots, though I admit I’ve never had those two paired together. It was a great first impression, so I think I need to try this combination! Floral notes follow, with some earthy undertones like freshly picked flowers. More honey follows, though never too much honey. This final drizzle of honey was paired with not the rum cake like I initially smelled, but freshly baked banana bread. The finish was butterscotch, banana and honey followed by a slight spice. This year’s offering is nicely viscous and coats every surface of your mouth. The finish is fairly long, warm, and coating in the throat and chest.

Cynthia: From the start to the finish, this pour was pure dessert in a glass.  Honey does not take a back seat in this show. It is very much front and center without being overly sweet or syrupy. The high viscosity of the whiskey clings to my palate, allowing me to appreciate the notes of caramelized bananas and apricots that develop over the course of the sip as well as the subtlety of walnuts and delicate flowers. The rye characteristic holds back until the finish, making its presence known not as a harsh spice, but as a long, warming hug. It delivers the perfect reminder that you’ve just enjoyed excellent rye whiskey.

Conclusion – 2025 Blue Note Honey Rye Cask Review

For this review, we were able to compare this year’s release of the Honey Rye Cask with the release from 2024. Last year’s offering came in at a slightly higher proof point of 117.5, but was not nearly as viscous or complex as this year’s bottle. While the 2024 release was very good on its own, it did not hold up to the viscous and delicious 2025 bottle. If you tried last year’s and loved it as we did, you will certainly enjoy the 2025 version. If last year left you wishing for a little more honey and other complementary flavors, then this year’s release is probably right up your alley.

Have you tried the 2025 Blue Note Honey Cask Finish Rye? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Blue Note Honey Rye Cask 2025 Review by Craig and Cynthia! Next, read these related articles: Blue Note Crossroads Bourbon Review and Blue Note Juke Joint Bourbon Whiskey Review.

Note: This bottle was graciously provided by the Brand for our review. We appreciate it!

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