Rye Tasting - Edinburgh

[Iain M]

Hey,

I have been slowly and without real intent gaining several bottles of Rye.

A couple of colleagues are wanting to try them out so if your interested let me know, it will be held at my flat on the north side of edinburgh at some point in May perhaps later on in the month.

Currently I'm sitting on

Whistlepig
High West Rendevous Rye
Jim Beam Yellow
Old Portrero 19th Century single malt straight rye
Pikesville


I've never tried rye lke this before, is an entire rye tasting possible

[Jolly Toper]

Having been to only-grain and only-Bourbon tastings there is a strong flavour thread but differences. Choosing the line up to have variety helps to underline the diversity and stops tastes flat lining to one common high note. The ryes out at the moment seem to have quite a lot of individual personalities.

Are we discouraged from bringing a bottle? Or is that asking for trouble?

[Iain M]

Are we discouraged from bringing a bottle? Or is that asking for trouble?

That would certainly be encouraged (the pikesville is empty now anyway!)

Just out of interest do most produces 'malt' the rye before use or is the portrero the only one to have really done that. I was under the impression Rye is not generally put through maltings.

[Willie JJ]

I can't answer the malting question but i suggest that those of us that are planning to bring a bottle add it to the list here to prevent duplication.

This is a terrible idea Iain

[Jolly Toper]

As far as I know (not very far) the diastase in malted barley is enough to help convert insoluable starches in other grains into soluable sugars. As malting is easiest with barley the sensible thing to do is add unmalted other grains. I don't know how much malted barley is needed but it seems 10% to 15% is standard in both Scottish grain and Bourbon production- presumably more adds cost and less lengthens the process and alters flavour profile. It seems malting is possible with most (all?) grains it is more a case of ease and hence cost. Sorry more questions than answers- if we knew it all what would the fun be in that? Damn, another question.

I think the Canadian Lot 3 is also 100% malted rye- I also think this distillery in out of production.

I'll try and get Millstone rye.

[Iain M]

My understanding is the same jolly toper.

The amylases, dextrins from barley are used in the break down of sugars in the rye, maize etc. This being law in scotland for Grain whisky production that no exogeneous enzymes can be used. However in the case of GNS (neutral spirit) exogenous enzymes can be used to break down these sugars - is this allowed in the US/Canada for rye production? If so it would probably be far cheaper than malting rye.

It seems that malting rye is expensive, albeit the traditional method of making whiskey in the states. This might explain a bit about Anchor's attempt:This might be of interest : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkDMXYBQ5mQ

[Mr Tattie Heid]

...if we knew it all what would the fun be in that?

Oh go ahead, burst my bubble....

[Jolly Toper]

...if we knew it all what would the fun be in that?

Oh go ahead, burst my bubble....

I'm surprised you're not saying you already knew.

I believe Japanese whisky is not prohibited from using imported enzymes but I don't know how often, if at all, they are used.

[MacDeffe]

I'd drop off a sample of the Stauning Rye when I am in Edinburgh for you guys to try. I reckon there will quite some rye on the agenda so I hope 10cl is enough to go around, but in case you are a lot more than 10 people I will prepare a larger sample

If you can, try get hold of the Rittenhouse 100 proof, it's a very nice standard Rye from Bernheim/Heaven Hill


Steffem

[Iain M]

That would be great !!

Thanks.

[dbk]

Great line-up there! I'd love to read any resulting tasting notes.

To my understanding, the vast majority of rye whiskies out there do not use malted rye grain—Portrero being an obvious exception. Hiram Walker also uses malted rye in their mash, but not all of the rye in the mash is malted—Lot 40 is 100% rye, but it is not 100% malted rye. As for using GNS, no American straight whiskey can use it but American blended whiskies can be up to 80% GNS. Canadian whisky has no GNS in it, though the "base" whisky tends to be of a high ABV, unlike the "flavouring" whisky it is then blended with. WhistlePig is such an unblended flavouring whisky.

[Jolly Toper]

Dbk your wisdom is much appreciated and very illuminating, I said Lot 3 oops, must have been thinking of hangar 3.

[Iain M]

DBK helpful stuff, what about the use of exogenous enzymes?

[dbk]

Thanks for the kind words, folks. Always happy to help.

My understanding is that there are no prohibitions against the use of exogenous enzymes in either the US or Canada. I believe, however, that these enzymes are generally optimised for maize, with the exception of Alberta Distillers' own rye-specific strain. At least, 'so sez' Davin de Kergommeaux in his article on WhistlePig.

[Iain M]

Thanks for the kind words, folks. Always happy to help.

My understanding is that there are no prohibitions against the use of exogenous enzymes in either the US or Canada. I believe, however, that these enzymes are generally optimised for maize, with the exception of Alberta Distillers' own rye-specific strain. At least, 'so sez' Davin de Kergommeaux in his article on WhistlePig.

Ah I think you have showed me that article before, great read. Thanks.

It's interesting how they malt rye to reduce the sticky mashes and lack of enyzmes that unmalted rye causes.

[Iain M]

2nd of june seems to be the agreed date!

Let me know if your interested.

[Jolly Toper]

me and Neil will be there.

[Willie JJ]

And me too. What about an up to date list of offerings to avoid duplication?

[The Craw]

Can't make it that day, apologies.

[Iain M]

1 – Jim Beam Yellow Label
2 – Whistlepig Rye
3 – High West Rendevous
4 – Stauning Rye (Thanks Macdeffe)
5 – Old portrero malted Rye
------

Thats what I have got.

IIs it the highwest 21 years old that you are bringing Willie?

I will maybe try and find another lower end one if possible (pikesville/sazerac/rittenhouse) , however I haven't seen any around Edinburgh for a while!

[Willie JJ]

IIs it the highwest 21 years old that you are bringing Willie?

Yes, just about half a bottle though.

[Jolly Toper]

I'll try to get Millstone rye

[Iain M]

Ha Willie most of mine are half bottles too!

[Willie JJ]

Given that you are so familiar with them all I think you should abstain and let the rest of us drink them

[Iain M]

The evening went as follows, mostly by ABV:

1 – Jim Beam Yellow Label
2 - High West Rendevous
3 - Millstone 7 yrs (thanks mark))
4 - High West 21 years old (thanks willie)
5 – Whistlepig Rye
6 - Stauning Rye (Thanks Macdeffe)
7 – Old portrero malted Rye
8 - Old portrero 14 years old (Thanks francis)
9 - Thomas Handy 7 years (Thanks francis)

Thanks to those who came.