Brown sugar | Root beer | Molasses | Nutmeg | Clove | Vanilla | Malt

Stewed dark cherry | Nutmeg | Plum | Caramized sugar | French vanilla

Burnt sugar | Molasses | Seared mint | Rye spice | Rye grain | Root beer | Clove

Two Souls Spirits is an independent bottler headed by James Estrada and Karen Gentry. Known as “The Whiskey Doctor,” Estrada has written for Bourbon Sippers and co-hosts the Whiskey Uncut Podcast. The J. Henry farm was established in 1946, and they began distilling bourbon with the farm’s heirloom grains in 2008. “The Genius” was distilled by J. Henry and Sons distillery in Dane, Wisconsin, about 87 miles northwest of Milwaukee.

Two Souls J. Henry & Sons 7-Year Rum-Cask Finished Rye uses a four-grain mashbill from the J. Henry & Sons distillery and finishes it in a cask from a previous Two Souls rum release. That release was dubbed “Rum King,” a 148.04 proof monster of a rum. Using the “Rum King” barrel to finish “The Genius” yields monstrous results of its own.

To start, “The Genius” aroma is a whirlwind of scents stemming from its rye-and-rum base. In a lot of ways, it has resulted in a nostalgic-like blend of malt shop delights. Brown sugar, root beer, molasses, nutmeg, vanilla, and malt work extremely well together. The palate begins with stewed dark cherry, with nutmeg, plum, caramelized sugar, and French vanilla working well in tandem. The finish, with its burnt sugar, molasses, seared mint, rye spice, and grain, brings together all the hallmarks of its rye and rum heritage.

“The Genius’s” 124.58 proof is felt, as this is a hot and spicy affair. Thankfully, there is just enough sweetness from the rum’s molasses and brown sugar notes to help counter it. But that high proof brings with it a lot of concentrated flavor intensity. Where many producers have paired rum finishes with bourbon (Two Souls among them), the company found unexpected success with rye with this release. Seared mint, rye spice, and clove work surprisingly well with the rum's traditional notes. In the end, this release comes together in spectacular fashion; it's big and bold, a bit rough around the edges, but very memorable.