It’s interesting to see a flagship whiskey, Redemption Rye, pushed as being a cocktail whiskey. I get that pre-Covid the on-premises sales of booze often outpaced the sales for home consumption, but for a whiskey brand to push their use in a cocktail vs drinking neat is different… and it seems to be working.
The brand continues to grow and expand so it makes sense they would try to attract bartenders and home mixologists after establishing their brand and releasing their premium 9+ yo cask strength releases that speak to the “advanced” drinker. This seems to be a company that knows itself and how its products work in the market. It’s nice to see this level of maturity and self-awareness in a brand.
Redemption 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: 2.5 Years
ABV: 46%
Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Batch: 259
Price: $30*
Tasting Notes
EYE
Dark honey
NOSE
Dill, copper, vanilla taffy, oak, dark fruit, citrus zest, Smarties, herbal spice and a touch of caramel. Aroma is that oh-so-familiar dilly MGP 95/5 rye character that’s really comes to signify the resurgence of rye in the last 15 years.
PALATE
Dill, vanilla taffy, oak, dark fruit, sugar cookies, citrus zest, copper, Smarties, herbal spice and a touch of caramel. Palate of the Redemption Rye rides a similar profile with a bit more sweetness pulling in a nice sugar cookie note to compliment the oaky-dilly-herbal-spice.
FINISH
Long -> Copper, oak, citrus zest and dilly spice. The finish starts metallic and fades out to that signature dilly spice in a soft drawl.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Good balance, med-light body and a warm feel.
Redemption Rye – Final Thoughts and Score
Yum. This is the classic MGP whiskey we know and love. It’s sharp, it’s warm, it’s dilly, it goes well with a cold night by the fire and, as their marketing says, it works very well in cocktails. My personal preference for 95/5 MGP is something along the lines of an Old Fashioned or a Sazerac, but the occasional spicy Manhattan or Basin Street can also put a smile on my face.
On the whole it is a little light, and feels topical without a ton of depth, but the fact that it’s only a 2-year-old whiskey and delivers this much shows the power of proper maturation vs a defined age. Now if they were charging $100 I might throw a rant in here, but they’re not and it’s a perfectly servicable whiskey. There is nothing to dislike about the Redemption Rye whiskey.
SCORE: 2.5/5
*Disclosure: The bottle for this bourbon review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
Redemption Rye Review $30
Summary
This is a good example of why people enjoy MGP rye. It’s sweet, it’s spicy, it’s oaky and it’s a powerful hit to the senses you want to experience over and over again. It might be young, but it carries a good maturity to it.
Overall
2.5- Nose (2)
- Palate (3)
- Finish (2.5)
- BBF (2.5)
User Review
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