Finishing out our Redemption run is the Redemption 10 Year Barrel Proof Rye. 11.4% higher ABV and about 5x older than the standard Redemption Rye, this is the uncut, minimally filtered, older brother of their flagship whiskey and it embodies everything people love about MGP rye.
I don’t want to get too far ahead of the review below, but this is the profile that made things like the old Willett ryes so sought after and what kicked off the ultimate fame of High West. If you’re looking for that massive, bold, MGP rye profile, this is where you go today.
Redemption 10 Year Barrel Proof Rye – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Region: Indiana, USA
Distiller: MGP
Bottler: Redemption
Mash Bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 58.1%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: $100*
Tasting Notes
EYE
Ruddy caramel
NOSE
Oak, complex dilly spice, baking flour, dried dark fruit, toffee, roasted nuts, copper with a touch of grassy, leathery and sweet tobacco notes. The aroma packs a huge punch with a complex delivery that starts earthy, heads to spices, turns to sweet and dives back to earthy profiles in a deep dark circle.
PALATE
Oak, complex dilly spice, dried dark fruit, toffee, roasted nuts, leather, grainy sweetness and a touch musty and leathery. Palate keeps the same level of darkness and heaviness but loses some of the earthy tones and picks up some addition grain-sweet notes and a light mustiness.
FINISH
Long -> Oak, spice, metal, dark fruit and mustiness. The finish on the Redemption 10 Year Barrel Proof Rye is the kind of oaky-spicy fade you’d expect but with a light mustiness that, kinda, reminds me of Old Bottle Effect found in dusties.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Great balance, full rich body and a warm oily feel.
Redemption 10 Year Barrel Proof Rye – Overall Thoughts and Score
Water doesn’t change it much outside of kicking up that musty note a bit more across the palate and finish and triggering it on the aroma. Which is interesting, and fantastic. Every now and then, when I add water to older, uncut, MGP rye I’ll get this light cherry cough syrup note, which isn’t my favorite thing. But thankfully, the water just expands that deep dark rye profile.
The depth, the heaviness and the complexity is flooding me with the ghosts of drams past. This Redemption 10 Year Barrel Proof Rye is that old-style MGP rye long-time drinkers know and love. This is the profile that all-too-often is missing in the market because it’s not as common as it used to be. It’s a true rye-lovers rye. This… this is awesome.
SCORE: 4.5/5
*Disclosure: The sample for this rye review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
Redemption 10 Year Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey Review $100
Summary
Bold, deep, dark and bursting with oaky spice and dark candy and fruity sweetness, this is what every hardcore rye lover is looking for. This is the perversely delicious dram we crave.
Overall
4.5- Nose (5)
- Palate (4.5)
- Finish (4)
- BBF (4.5)
