Aged oak | Supple leather | Rye bread | Caramel cream | Light yellow cake | Baking spices | Cinnamon applesauce

Baking spices | Cinnamon stick | Rye spice | Cinnamon apple pie | Aged charred oak | Cinnamon toast

Charred oak | Rye spice | Dried apple | Cinnamon crumble | Leather | Lingering dry spice

A decade ago, it was a big deal when Wild Turkey came out with a bourbon plus rye blend with their Forgiven line. Fast forward to the 2020’s when more small and big brands, including Knob Creek, readily embraced this new hybrid category. The Compromise, like those that have come before it, offers consumers a bourbon/rye blend. However, instead of trying to let one whiskey type dominate the other, they focus on an even 50/50 blend of the bourbon and rye components. The bottle's slogan is “this cask-strength whiskey proves that opposites don’t collide - they collaborate,” and the whiskey tries to live up to this creed with varied results.

The sip starts off with an aroma that nicely balances the two base whiskeys. Scents of aged oak and supple leather greet you, followed by rye bread along with sweet and spiced scents. The whiskey’s proof is most noticeable in the palate, as an explosion of various bold spices jumps to life as The Compromise leans into its spicy components. Aged charred oak and cinnamon toast add intrigue before the finish rushes forward with charred oak, rye spice, dried apple, and leather. A lingering dry spice caps off the sip.

Nashville Barrel Company’s The Compromise tries to see if bourbon and rye can meet in the middle, ultimately forming a compromise. The real question is whether or not the sweeter notes of a bourbon balance out the spiciness of a rye and vice versa, and the result is a definite “sort of.” The nose displays teamwork, while the palate highlights the rye whiskey and rye component of the high rye bourbon, thanks to bold spice notes. The finish leans slightly more towards the rye component, but not overly so. Ultimately, this is a spice-filled affair that delivers a really pleasing, bold sip that will scratch the itch for when you can’t decide if you want to drink a high rye bourbon or a straight rye.