Light grain | Caramelized sugar | Oak | Light vanilla | Summer berries | Light yet approachable

Rye spice | Dry oak | Grain | White peppercorn | Touch of sweetness | Proof makes itself known

Dry oak | Bold rye spice | Light leather | Grain | Lingering heat

For its first-ever rye release, Uncle Nearest went the sourced route, but in a less linear way than whiskey drinkers may be used to. Stating that rye is hard to grow in Tennessee, the company instead sourced distilled rye from Canada, which was then moved to New York to age for 4 years, before moving to Tennessee to age for an undisclosed amount of time. Sold only at the distillery, the resulting rye is surprisingly approachable for its proof and one that also retains a distinctive Canadian rye flavor profile.

The sip opens with soft yet inviting scents of grain, sweet scents, and also a pleasing waft of summer berries. From there it transitions into a drier and spicier palate that more clearly highlights the rye’s near 120 proof. It ends without much fanfare on drier and spicier notes with a lingering heat. The whiskey is ultimately an average venture into the rye space as it lacks the oomph necessary to stand out in today’s crowded marketplace.

The bottle in review has the date 7/15/2022 printed on the back of the bottle.