The Redemption Rye is here “to redeem” the dominant position rye whiskey once had among US whiskeys. And sure enough, the first ever produced whiskey on American soil (Pennsylvania) was made out of rye. After that, rye whiskey remained the epitome for US whiskey until Prohibition changed that. Not a single one of the mainly in Pennsylvania and Maryland located rye distilleries survived that period and thus rye whiskey was forgotten by many. Redemption Rye wants to change that.

Anyways, the label says that this rye was “distilled in the Indiana heartland”. There is not such a thing like a “Redemption Distillery” in Indiana, so it is most likely produced by MGP Ingredients. Sounds familiar? Yes, that is the same contract distillery which also produces the Big Ass Bourbon I reviewed two weeks ago. So what we have here is a young, mass produced rye whiskey. What sets it apart from other rye whiskeys is its mash bill which contains 95% rye.

Facts

Redemption Rye

Nose

Lots of eucalyptus which is typical for most young rye whiskeys. Beneath all that eucalyptus are hints of cinnamon, herbs and citrus fruits.

Taste

Surprisingly smooth given the high rye content but a bit thin. Caramelized apples and cherries. Cinnamon. Gets a bit spicier with time but overall pretty sweet.

Finish

Medium and dry. Again only slightly spicy with a very distinctive grass note.

Overall

A young rye, easy to sip and not all that complex. It’s nice enough to drink straight but more suited for cocktails I think. There are just better rye whiskeys out there to drink straight in my opinion.

Score: 79 / 100