Grape slurpee | Mixed nuts | Nutmeg | Toasted oak | Rye grain

Grape | Plum | Red currant | Light char

Rye spice | Rye grain | Dry oak | Dry grape | Black currant | Cinnamon | Lingering grape

As it appears that whiskey makers are reaching the outer limits of bourbon barrel finishing, many are looking towards rye as the next frontier. It’s hard to believe that we have yet to review a pinot noir finished rye. Where producers were once looking to meld complimentary flavors together, now contrast is en vogue. That’s the case with Ammunition Straight Rye Finished in Pinot Noir Barrels as fruit and spice vie for your attention.

The aroma is nostalgically fueled thanks to a big grape slurpee scent that dominates. It slowly gives way to mixed nuts, toasted oak, and also a good amount of rye grain. The palate is pinot noir dominated with a wealth of grape, plum, and red currant notes. The finish brings out the whiskey’s rye base with rye spice immediately commanding your attention. It's followed by youthful rye grain, and a mix of dry oak and dry grape notes.

Complementary flavors, in theory, are easier to get right. Contrasting ones leave much more room for error. As we saw this year with Blue Note Honey Rye, rye whiskey can make a powerful and satisfying contrasting agent. For the most part, the spiciness of the rye is nicely countered by the grape from the pinot noir finish. But as many producers run into with wine finished whiskeys, wine barrel finishing can be temperamental. Ammunition Straight Rye Finished in Pinot Noir Barrels features a good amount of flavor, but the 6 month finishing time may have been too long, leading to too much dry oak and grape on the finish. Combined with some light graininess, it leads to a whiskey that doesn’t quite come together.