Grape | Dark raspberry | Oak | Cinnamon | Dark brown sugar

Dry oak | Prominent plump dark raisin | Rye spice | Cinnamon | Vanilla

Raisin | Dark berry | Rye spice | Dry oak | Lingering raisin aftertaste | Astringent at times

Sporting a brilliant ruby red color, it's hard not to go into Milam & Greene Straight Rye Finished in Port Wine Casks spellbound by its physical beauty. Diving in, the aroma is two sided with grape and dark raspberry at its front before switching over to oak, cinnamon, and dark brown sugar. The aroma is by far the best part of the sip as it really comes together nicely. Like many port finished whiskeys before it, the palate offers a prominent plump dark raisin note. I love that this release is a rye and not a bourbon as some of its rye spice and cinnamon come out midpalate, though I would have loved much more of it. The finish is by far the whiskey’s weakest link and that is mainly due to its lingering slightly bitter raisin aftertaste.

Being located in Blanco, Texas, the company faces a unique set of climate challenges that those outside of Texas don’t have to deal with. I fear this whiskey is over-finished as it gets astringent and loses sight of its rye base. There is way too much port influence and it completely drowns out its rye characteristics. Perhaps this is due to being finished in Texas heat as Milam & Greene has proven that they are good blenders, but maybe their finishing still needs more finetuning. I’d love to give this another try with a future release because the potential (and price point) is there, but it just didn’t come together this time.