Fresh oak | Cereal grain | Honey oat | Vanilla | Raisin | Youthful

Cream corn | Brown sugar | Sweet vanilla | White peppercorn | Light table syrup | Rye spice | Oak | Faint raisin | Velvety mouthfeel

Rye spice | Green peppercorn | Oak | Faint vanilla | Lingering spice & new oak

Wolfe & Wilson Colonial Rye is a new collaboration blend from Stoll & Wolfe. For this blend, Stoll & Wolfe head distiller Erik Wolfe and southern Indiana farmer-distiller Alan Bishop collaborated. If Bishop sounds familiar, it’s because he was formerly associated with Spirits of French Lick. The name for this blend is derived from Wolfe, which is Erik’s surname, and Wilson, which is Alan’s mother’s maiden name.

The company states that “Wolfe & Wilson Straight Rye Whiskey draws its inspiration from a pamphlet written by Frederick Heinrich Gelwicks, an important piece of early American distilling lore from the late 1700s to early 1800s, documenting actual working recipes used by Pennsylvania distillers during that era.” The initial recipe called for 1 bushel rye malt, 1 bushel wheat, 1 bushel rye, and 3 pecks of oats, which is not in the format that modern whiskey drinkers are used to. The two utilized heritage grains from Pennsylvania family farms to recreate their interpretation of this recipe; however, the final mashbill used in the blend is not actually revealed by Stoll & Wolfe. The first batch of the product resulted in a 1,000 bottle release.

Coming in at only 2 years, consumers may be leery that Wolfe & Wilson Rye is an underdeveloped-tasting craft whiskey. While that’s partially true in this case, the age doesn’t tell the whole story. The sip starts with a youthful aroma led by fresh oak and cereal grain. Sweet scents hint at what the palate will bring, but overall it’s incredibly youthful. The midpoint, however, is anything but, presenting a velvety mouthfeel that is full of enjoyable flavors. Cream corn and brown sugar kick things off while white peppercorn, rye spice, and oak add more grounded flavors. Light table syrup and sweet vanilla mingle with a raisin note to bring further intrigue. However, this turn of events is fleeting, as the finish reverts back to a more youthful tasting whiskey.

Wolfe & Wilson Colonial Rye is surprising in the amount of flavor it is able to deliver for its age. While it certainly showcases its youth, it also showcases its potential. While the story of what they’re trying to recreate is interesting, it would be nice if Wolfe & Bishop disclosed the actual mashbill used for this release. Hopefully, Batch 1 is the first of many, with future batches spending more time aging in the barrel, because Wolfe & Wilson Rye definitely shows the potential it could have if it’s given further time to develop. In the meantime, as is, it’s a pricey showcase with an interesting backstory that ultimately delivers an average sip.

‍The rye in review is from Batch 1.