According to the company’s first press release, “Hemingway Rye Whiskey is a new premium rye whiskey brand, from the new Hemingway Whiskey Company, and is inspired by American Author, Journalist and Storyteller Ernest Hemingway. It was founded by a team with deep roots in Kentucky whiskey, led by Steve Groth, whiskey pioneer and co-founder of the revered Angel’s Envy Bourbon brand and the Calls, Ron, Jacob and Clayton, a distilling family with more than 230 years of whiskey making experience.” ‍

‍Hemingway Rye Whiskey: First Edition debuted with a total of 972 bottles released in Collector’s Packaging that included bottles that were hand-numbered and hand-signed by the Calls, were encased in a library-style box, had gold foiled Hemingway signature, “First Edition'' inscription, and a satin pull ribbon. The Collector’s Packaging bottles were released in November 2022 with an asking price of $150. In April 2023, following the initial release of First Edition in Collector’s Packaging selling out, the brand announced that they were releasing more First Edition bottles in standard packaging for $110.

‍‍The whiskey is a blend of 94% 9 year old Indiana straight rye that was sourced from an undisclosed distillery and 6% Kentucky straight rye that was distilled by Jacob Call, both of which were finished in rum seasoned Oloroso Sherry casks. The Hemingway Whiskey Company is part of the Old Man and the Sea Brands that owns Hemingway Rum Company, makers of Papa’s Pilar Rum.

The nose leads with familiar aromas of caramel, vanilla, and brown sugar. Digging deeper, scents of cinnamon bun and glazed donut come forward, all of which are complemented by a pleasant amount of rye spice. The various elements come together in a well-composed and carefully balanced form, making for a pleasant, albeit subtle, opening to the sip.

The whiskey comes alive on the palate, with rich brown sugar, caramel, and toasted oak up front. The initial flavors are followed by layers of raisin, maple sugar candy, and a hint of dark fruit. Like the nose, the composition is carefully balanced, but the increased richness and overall complexity elevates the whiskey to a greater height, amplifying the intensity to pleasing results.

Cinnamon spice layers in and holds throughout the remainder of the sip, followed by baking spices and a hint of molasses. A satisfying degree of sweetness merges against the unceasing spice and provides balance. And as it progresses, a musty, almost dusty oak note presents itself in welcome form. It’s here that the spice really comes forward adding a nice layer of complexity, but not so much that it overdoes it. Like the rest of the sip, the combination of flavors and their intensity is well-composed and nicely balanced making for a fine ending to the sip.

Sometimes, first impressions don’t tell the whole story, and what may seem innocuous at first is anything but. That is the case with some whiskeys, and is especially true with Hemingway Rye Whiskey. On the surface, it’s a fairly straightforward affair with a caramel-vanilla-spice backbone, a 100 proof point that drinks with an expected degree of intensity, and an Ernest Hemingway theme that elicits questions as to whether the brand was more focused on theming than whiskey-making. But choosing not to judge a book by its cover often comes with rewards, and the rewards are plentiful in Hemingway Rye’s case.

Most importantly, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Hemingway Rye’s flavor profile. Yes, it does have a caramel-vanilla-spice backbone, but spending more time with the whiskey reveals layers of flavor, all of which is delivered in a very well-composed format. An almost dusty oak note pulls out which is really surprising for a mostly 9 year blend of finished rye whiskey. On top of that, flavors from the rum seasoned Oloroso Sherry casks add hints of molasses, maple sugar candy, and dark fruit that come into play and it’s a finish you don’t see every day. Needless to say, the whiskey offers a great deal of complexity, though it takes some time to really appreciate it.

As far as the Hemingway-inspired theme, once you give the whiskey a chance to earn its stripes you’ll either get past it or gain an appreciation for it. The brand’s marketing pushes the idea of storytelling intertwined with whiskey, and this is the first edition. As future editions roll out it will be interesting to see where that theme goes and whether it holds any water beyond superficial marketing. Given the complexity of the sip, I’m hoping it does.

While the brand does not disclose the distillery sources, it’s almost certainly a blend of 9 year old MGP rye and 4 year old Jacob Call distilled rye from Green River Spirits before his departure. Blending in just 6% 4 year old rye whiskey into what could have been labeled a 9 year old whiskey (which inherently would have brought with it a good degree of value) is an interesting move, but considering the fact that the 4 year old whiskey was distilled in Kentucky by Jacob Call and separates the whiskey from being “just another Indiana sourced rye” makes a lot of sense. The brand is also forthcoming in the percentages within the blend, which also is valuable considering it is mostly 9 year old rye.

At the same time, the whiskey’s value is predicated on a case for something “boutique” and “different,” with a sophisticated branding style it is presumably targeted towards the more affluent whiskey drinker who is looking for a niche product. Taking its rum seasoned Oloroso Sherry Cask finishing into account, which is integrated nicely into the flavor profile, the whiskey certainly scratches that “niche” itch. Adding a surprising hint of dusty funk in the finish really sends it home.

At $110 it’s certainly not an obvious steal, but it is a carefully crafted whiskey that a seasoned rye fan will be able to say isn’t quite like anything else in their collection. To that end, it’s priced where it should be.

In some regards, Hemingway Rye Whiskey is a question mark of sorts. The brand was curated by Ron Call and his sons Jacob and Clayton, as well as Angel’s Envy co-founder Steve Groth. Ron Call has over 40 years of experience in the industry, and distilled for Jim Beam until his departure to Florida Distillers in 1990 when he shifted his focus to rum. Why is there a focus on (what is arguably) a superficially contrived Earnest Hemingway theme and not the Calls specifically? It’s a fair question and given the first release that has proven to be a quality one, I hope time will tell.

Overall the whiskey feels very well thought out. It’s well-composed from start to finish, and has the chops to resonate with a range of whiskey drinkers. At the price point, it may only attract a small percentage, but the flavor profile will please most who encounter it. Much like the whiskeys coming from the Blackened Whiskey lineup, I feel Hemingway leads with a kitschy feel that could easily go either way, but backs it up with a really well done whiskey. They’ll have to continue to prove their stripes with future releases, but based on the First Edition, I’m inclined  to give them a chance.