The Senator Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey Review

The Senator
Straight Rye Whiskey
Barrel Proof
Proof: 116.78 (112-121)
Proof & Wood Ventures, Inc
SRP: $80
Review

Please enjoy our The Senator Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey Review by Ray Marcano!

Now THAT’S some seriously sweet heat.

History

The Senator is a product from Proof and Wood Distillery of New Canaan, CT. It’s part of the distillery’s DC collection of whiskies. 

The Specifics – The Senator Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey

Mash bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Age: Minimum of 5 years
Batch Size: mingling of 10-20 barrels
Distillery: Distilled in Indiana

Tasting Notes – The Senator Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass

👉🏻Nose: Rye toast, pepper, allspice, fresh cut grass

👉🏻Taste: Orange, vanilla, light caramel, rye, pepper

👉🏻Finish: Long with hot pepper, sweet candied orange

Summary – The Senator Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey

My palate must be changing. I used to be a dessert fiend who would eat cakes, pies, and cookies until I bloated. Now I prefer chips and pretzels. I start with that missive because I believe that change is carrying over to rye whiskies. I’ve found the last three I’ve tried exceptional. The Senator fits in the exceptional bucket.

This 2023 whiskey has more complexity than most I’ve recently tasted. Since it’s a high-proof 95 percent rye, I expected lots of pepper with unpleasant heat. Instead, I got a pleasant sniff of rye on the nose, and a surprise on the first sip with a delicious orange sweetness. After a few seconds, the spice hits and carries through with a long, warm finish. And there’s another surprise. The hot finish doesn’t end with spice, but instead coats the mouth with a sweet, candied orange.

Conclusion – The Senator Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey

This has “a cool night by the fire smoking a cigar” written all over it. But I’m not going to be able to wait for the Fall before I dive into this again. It’s an amazing pour that will take some effort to find. It’s worth it.

Have you tried The Senator Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey? What do you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our The Senator Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey Review by Ray Marcano! Ray publishes a free monthly newsletter, The Bourbon Resource. You can subscribe here. If you would like to read about other whiskeys from this brand, then check out Ray’s The Representative Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review and his The Cabinet Barrel Proof Blend of Straight Whiskeys Review.

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