O.H. Ingram Rye Whiskey Review

O.H. Ingram Rye Whiskey is interesting. It’s sourced from MGP, but it’s not aged there… it’s aged in a floating rick house. Parallels can be drawn between this and the Jefferson’s Ocean, but unlike the JO, this whiskey stays in one location, on the Mississippi river, in KY. There it gets rocked and sloshed around in the barrel for at least 3 years. Though it’s not just the motion they’re taking advantage of.

The motion of the water on a river is one aspect, but it’s probably, really, the least important since its wood contact that matures whiskey, and the amount of liquid and wood surface area isn’t changing aside from the angel’s share. There’s also a finite amount of whiskey that can get soaked into the surrounding wood, so the actual effect of the sloshing is debatable. However, the other two aspects of “river life” have been studied extensively and we know they have a sizeable impact on the final product: temperature and humidity.

It’s very humid on a river and that aids in the maturation process. There are also big swings in temperature between the day and night which allow whiskey to seep deep into the barrels during the day and get squeezed out at night. This combo of moist barrels expanding and contracting leads to a rapidly maturing spirit that takes on the characteristics of the “red whiskey” we’ve come to know and love. On paper this should be decent at the vert least, but to truly find out we need to get to drinkin’ and dig into this review.

O.H. Ingram Rye Whiskey – Details and Tasting Notes

Whiskey Details

Region: Indiana, USA

Distiller: MGP
Bottler: Brown Water Spirits
Mash Bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 3+ Years
ABV: 49% ABV

Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

Price: $80*

White background tasting shot with the O.H. Ingram Rye Whiskey bottle and a glass of whiskey next to it.

“Moored on the riverbank of Ballard County, KY, our patent-pending floating rickhouse utilizes the climate of the Mississippi River, along with its drastic rise and fall, to provoke a unique interaction between our whiskey and our barrels.” – Brown Water Spirits

Tasting Notes

EYE
Caramel

NOSE
Oak, brown sugar, orchard fruit, vanilla, nutmeg and some light cherry notes.

A nice pleasant aroma that sits evenly and warmly. It’s not super deep, but there are zero off notes.

PALATE
Cereal grain-sweet, brown sugar, nuts, orchard fruit, oak, vanilla, nutmeg, baking spice and touches of leather and citrus.

Palate of the O.H. Ingram Rye Whiskey is more complex and nuanced though a bit less fruity. Not a significant difference, but more enjoyable than the aroma.

FINISH
Med -> Oak, fruit, brown sugar and some corn-sweet notes fade out softly.

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Good balance, medium body, and a soft, lightly oiled, feel.

O.H. Ingram Rye Whiskey – Overall Thoughts and Score

Not bad… not bad at all. It’s a tad lighter and more ceral-sweet than others in its rough age range, but on the whole it’s nice. Easy to sip and easy to mix with, especially sitting at 98 proof – it gives just the right amount of kick in an Old Fashioned.

It was a bit tight and closed off at first, but after a couple of glasses for the review, the O.H. Ingram Rye Whiskey opened up and showed a bit more depth. This is going to be a fun sample to sip through and mix with.

SCORE: 3/5

*Disclosure: The sample for this rye whiskey review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.