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Please read and drink responsibly.
Classification: Straight Rye Finished in a Used Rye Barrel
Company: Two Souls Spirits
Distillery: Sourced from Middle West Spirits
Release Date: April 2024
Proof: 126.7
Age: 5 Years, 1 Month, 8 Days
Mashbill: 80% Pumpernickel Rye, 10% Corn, 5% Wheat, 5% Malted Barley
Color: Dark Mahogany
MSRP: $100 / 750mL (2024)
Pumpernickel rye swirl bread | Stewed tea | Bitter chocolate | Saigon cinnamon | Robust oak
Pumpernickel bread | Walnut | Clove | Stewed fruits | Touch of soy sauce
Saigon cinnamon | Rye spice | Thick oak | Black pepper | Molasses | Medium length with lingering spice
An immensely flavorful rye that is every bit as robust, spicy, sharp, rich, and sweet as you’d expect it to be given its name.
Two Souls Spirits is an independent bottler headed by James Estrada and Chad Civetti. Known as “The Whiskey Doctor,” Estrada has written for Bourbon Sippers and co-hosts the Whiskey Uncut Podcast. According to Two Souls Spirits, they intend to “curate craft spirits from across the United States,” that are “big, bold, 100% uncut and unfiltered, and exceptionally rare.”
Middle West Spirits says they are the first to release a dark pumpernickel rye whiskey, which the company released at 3 years old and 96 proof. Two Souls must have been impressed by it, as they managed to convince Middle West Spirits to let go of a 4 year old barrel, and then finished it for an additional 13 months in an ex-HAZMAT rye barrel. The result is an immensely dark colored rye with a boldness that matches how it looks.
The rye opens with a strong pumpernickel rye swirl bread that gets you ready for what will follow. Stewed tea, bitter chocolate, and Saigon cinnamon come across as every bit as robust as you’d expect. The aroma nicely transitions to the palate, which puts a heavy focus on pumpernickel bread upfront. Clove is present throughout, as is soy sauce making for a dark and bold flavored rye. Stewed fruits are then introduced, and carry over to the finish with the return of Saigon cinnamon once more. Rye spice comes out in full force, with thick oak, black pepper, and molasses riding out the rest of the sip.
If you couldn’t tell, this is an immensely flavorful rye. It is hard to get the flavor of pumpernickel bread out of your head as you drink this, as it aligns so perfectly with how it tastes. I’m curious how this would taste without the added rye barrel finish, but I expect it does a lot to amp up its overall intensity. I also expect it's hiding some of the whiskey’s youth, as the finish isn’t quite as long-lasting as you’d expect, given how front-loaded the whiskey's sip is. Those are minor quibbles against a rye that soars in the uniqueness department, and backs it up with a bold and punchy sip.
