Cinnamon | Herbal | Mint | Rye grain | Citrus | Light bubble gum

Orange | Herbal | Mint | Butterscotch | Barrel char

Nutmeg | Rye spice | Manageable heat | Layered oak | Touch of smoke

John Graves Mattingly, which is Registered Distillery #2, was the first in Marion County, Kentucky in 1845. Jeff Mattingly, a sixth generation descendant of John Mattingly revitalized his family history as it relates to whiskey in 2009. Located in Frankfort, Kentucky, the distillery is known for its “Blend Your Own Bourbon Experience” which allows consumers to blend and bottle their own personalized whiskey on-site. According to the company, “all of J. Mattingly 1845's whiskeys undergo its proprietary double-staving process, allowing the whiskey inside additional surface exposure to charred barrel staves to impart more flavor and color than its competitors' offerings.” To celebrate the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby, the company released three limited small batch whiskeys, which all have undergone the same double-stave process.

Being a blend of 4.5 and 6.5 year old rye from distilleries in Indiana and Kentucky, there’s a degree of familiarity for J. Mattingly 1845 The Greatest Two Ounces in Rye. Baking spices, herbal notes, and mint are found throughout this rye’s sip. Where this whiskey begins to deviate is likely due to its double-staved process. It tastes older than it is, thanks to layered oak found throughout its sip. That’s not to say it's over-oaked because it’s not, but oak and barrel char play a stronger role here than in most other rye whiskeys of this age range. Combined with its proof, this rye features a good degree of flavor intensity despite the flavor profile being far from expansive. That’s why with a single sip J. Mattingly 1845 The Greatest Two Ounces in Rye isn’t immediately impressive, but subsequent sips reveal an intensity that works well and is compelling. Its price tag remains a head-scratcher. At the end of the day, it's about what’s in the bottle, and J. Mattingly 1845 The Greatest Two Ounces in Rye does have something to say, but it might not be enough for many rye lovers to fully justify its price

The bottle in review is 155 out of 500.