Rye grain | Berry jam | Lightly charred oak | Raspberry ice cream | Strudel | Figs

Sugar topped berries | Rye spice | Muted oak | Touch of vanilla cream | Muddled

Rye spice | Vanilla | Touch of oak | Sweet berries | Short

“Templeton Rye” refers to rye whiskey made in Templeton, Iowa, as far back as the 1920s. In 2006, the concept was brought back to life with the introduction of the Templeton brand, which pays homage to its historical roots. The initial release was a sourced rye whiskey, and the brand has added numerous sourced rye whiskeys to its portfolio since then. In 2018, Templeton Distillery, which is located on 20 acres in Templeton, began distilling. A small town that is home to only 352 residents, the distillery “employs 30 locals,” according to the company.

While the company released their first ever in-house distilled bourbon earlier this year, Templeton used aged stocked of sourced rye to create Midnight Rye. This traditional 95/5 rye was blended with an undisclosed amount of dark port wine. While finishing in used port barrels is usually employed to change the flavor of a whiskey, rarely do you see a company create a national release by blending their whiskey with another spirit or wine.

Midnight Rye is clearly influenced by its blended-in port, but that shouldn’t be taken as a negative statement. The whiskey opens with a nice balance of sweet aromas that play well together. The midpoint brings a less defined experience with hints of sugar topped berries and rye spice leading the way while muted oak and a touch of vanilla cream add further definition. The finish carries through the sweet berry theme found throughout and adds in rye spice and vanilla, producing a short and to-the-point ending. While Midnight Rye will appeal to those who are looking for a more sweet sipping whiskey, this non traditionally produced rye will certainly be a head scratcher for those who are familiar with barrel finished ryes and the nuances the extra time in oak can provide them.