Apricot | Pear | Rye spice | Earthy undertone | Bread dough | Touch of heat

Summer fruit | Green apple | Baking spices | Sourdough bread | Dry leather | Heat amplifies

Heat transitions from the palate | Fruity undertones with a surge of rye | Spice lingers with a trace of sweet burnt brown sugar on the backend

Coalition Whiskey certainly draws your eye with their unique art deco bottle design. The whiskey follows suit, with a 100% rye mashbill (10% of which is malted) along with a variety of finishes. Unlike Coalition’s other whiskeys, their barrel proof rye is not finished, instead focusing on the intensity of flavors created by Kentucky Artisan Distillery in Crestwood, Kentucky.

At 108.8 proof this rye is surprisingly intense, with an ample amount of spicy heat present throughout. An unusual earthy undertone reminiscent of bread or fresh dough accents other more traditional fruit and spice notes enough to give pause. While this deviation from the norm will surely draw comment among whiskey drinkers, most would agree it is an intensely unique rye whiskey.