Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 15 minutes.
Distillery:Distilled and aged in Bardstown, KY. Curated by David Jennings and The WoodWork Collective, Louisvile, KY.
Proof: 118.2, barrel proof .
Age: 8 years. Part of the blend was briefly finished in Japanese Mizunara oak casks
Mash bill: 95% Rye/5% Malted Barley.
Price: $130.00.
Appearance: Dark amber.
Nose
Crème brûlée, toffee, fresh mint leaves, pecan pie, molasses, cinnamon spice, vanilla beans, sandalwood, green tea, cloves, apricots, and dried flowers. This sweetens up over time with more toasted oak, toffee, and mint, apricots, vanilla, and sandalwood.
Palate
The nose moves onto the palate with crème brulé, mint, sandalwood, orange citrus, vanilla beans, green tea, cloves, floral, and toasted pecans. Cinnamon spice builds up mid-sip, lasting through the finish with a medium, creamy mouthfeel. This is a very delicious, complex, unique, and well-balanced blend that drinks below its proof.
Finish
Cinnamon spice continues with toffee, orange peel, sandalwood, green tea, peppermint, molasses, toasted oak, subtle root beer, and soft pipe tobacco. A long finish leaves you with peppermint, toasted oak, and soft pipe tobacco.
Conclusion
The reasons I purchased this release are that I’ve heard great things about it, I love whiskey aged or finished in Mizunara oak, and because of David Jennings’ reputation. Nonetheless, the price had me more than a bit hesitant before I finally pulled the trigger. I knew it would be good for the reasons I just mentioned, but would it be $130 good? Right from the first sip, I thought it was excellent. I had high expectations for this release and was not disappointed. The American and Mizunara oak influences of crème brûlée, toffee, sandalwood, and vanilla are upfront and right alongside a good amount of rye-influenced herbal flavors of mint, black tea, and cloves. Add a nice helping of orange citrus and a well-balanced cinnamon spice, and you’ve got a very delicious, enjoyable, and unique rye whiskey.
Every time I come back to this bottle, I’m reminded of how much I love it. But is it worth $130? My final weigh-in is it is, but not much more than that. No doubt $130 is a lot of money, but all things considered, I think it’s a fair price. Besides “Miz Kiss” having a unique and excellent flavor profile, it’s evident that David Jennings and the Woodwork Collective put a lot of thought, money, and time into creating this release. I appreciate the little guy, which is why I’m glad that there are small NDP brands like this doing things with whiskey that you’re unlikely to see from a bigger brand. Even if, say, Bardstown Bourbon Co. decided to create a Mizunara finished rye whiskey like this, they would likely charge more than $130 for it. I’m not sure that you can still get your hands on Raconteur Rye Batch 3, but if they release another batch similar to this one, I’d recommend it if you’re as big a fan of rye whiskey and Japanese Mizunara oak.
Rating: 8.0/10.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
