Very Olde St. Nick Ancient Cask Rye: Faith + Conviction Review

Steve Coomes -

BOTTLE DETAILS

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Anyone who loves rye whiskey. Those who don't like rye–and may God forgive them–leave them out. This has all the spice that rye haters hate.

WORTH THE PRICE: Hmmm. I might splurge for this after an exceptionally good quarter of revenue. It's so unique that I can't compare it to other ryes for a clear yay or nay, so, I say, "Get it if you want it." And if you love rye like I do, you want it.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle if you can get it, but search for it at better bars and restaurants.

OVERALL: This whiskey is my favorite Preservation pour–and that's saying, something, given my fondness for others in that line. The rye spice launches like a honey-lemon toddy upfront before exploding like fireworks on the back palate. In it's wake is a trail of spice, demerara syrup and honey all the way down the throat. Only after a long time in the glass do the "green" notes of rye emerge, and what a treat they are.

This is a whiskey begging to be drunk with fatty meats (smoked pork shoulder is a personal favorite) and floral fruits (think ripe cantaloupe), and if I had it handy, I'd let it take a crack at toro (tuna belly).

BRAND NOTES

At Olde St. Nick we specialize in the art of producing superior Bourbon and Whiskey in just 1-3 barrel batches. Finding the perfect barrels for this ridiculously robust rye whiskey was literally an act of Love, Faith, and Conviction. Although left off the label, our owner is passionate about whiskey, committed to loving everything we release. Conviction. This dense, intense, and undeniably delicious Rye Whiskey with complex caramel, spice, and massive flavors was the culmination of an exhaustive five day tasting session. Never losing Faith, she blended, swirled, nosed, and tasted picks from our collection of prized barrels, resulting in this extraordinary Very Olde St. Nick Ancient Cask Rye Whiskey we named "Faith and Conviction."

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from Preservation Distillery + Farm for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.