While we all here at TB have fond memories of Rittenhouse Rye, it has been a minute since any of us have tasted it. It was one of the earlier ryes, along with Bulliet, that we started getting into. Rittenhouse Rye Bottled in Bond is from Heaven Hill. From their website, “Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky has a storied past with a heritage that commemorates Philadelphia’s famous Rittenhouse Square. Bottled-in-Bond, today’s Rittenhouse carries the distinct, spicy flavor that is long associated with the brand.” Doing a little research showed that it is supposedly made in the “Pennsylvania ” way, which means more spice and fruit. We had never heard of the term.
Rittenhouse Rye is 100 proof, sells for $23, can be found practically anywhere Booze is sold, and comes in a plain looking screw top bottle. There is no age statement. The mash bill is 51% rye, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley.
It will be interesting to see how this has held up over time. Most of the ryes we have been drinking lately have a lot more rye in the mash bill. 51% is pretty much the minimum amount to be called a rye.
NOSE
TB: Even with only 51%, we all smelled the rye right away. There are also some strong scents of oak, cedar, nuts, and vanilla. Secondary aromas include honey, caramel, fruit, pepper, and a bit of mint. Ice softens it up a bit and allows for more sweet notes.
TASTE: The oak and cedar we got on the nose show up on the tongue as well. We also get caramel, spice, fruit, leather, and rye. And kind of like the nose, just a bit of mint. Ice, also like the nose, brought out more sweetness.
FINISH
TB: Medium with some spice, sweetness, and a touch of cinnamon.
OVERALL
TB: Good stuff at a very good price. Would definitely buy again.
Nose 4 out of 5
Taste 7 out of 10
Finish 3.5 out of 5
Total score 14.5 out of 20 barrels.
While we are not quite sure about the Pennsylvania way to make rye, we didn’t get a ton of fruit, and the spice was right in line with most ryes, we are sure that we liked this juice. A pleasant nose gives over to a very nice palette with more depth than one would expect from the price. Add in a decent finish and the fact that it is 100 proof, and you have yourself a good buy.
While it is a good buy, we are torn between it and Bulliet Rye as our go to lower end rye. In the end, we decided that since they are two very different profiles, to just stock both.
Final verdict, go get yourself a bottle of Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond Rye. You won’t be disappointed. It is a decent sipper neat, good on the rocks, and makes a very good old fashion, all at a terrific price.