Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 15 minutes.
Distillery: MGP, Lawrenceburg, IN, Selected and bottled by Nashville Barrel Company, Nashville, TN.
Proof: 116.20. Barrel proof, non-chill filtered.
Age: 14 years.
Barrel#: 40.
Mash bill: 95% Rye/5% Malted Barley.
Price: $169.99.
Appearance: Goldendoodle caramel.
Nose
Crème brûlée, butterscotch, dark chocolate, fresh mint leaves, a hint of dill, dates, apricots, vanilla beans, lemon citrus, cedar, and allspice. If you could take a Peppermint Patty, top it with butterscotch, dip it in some apricot jam, and turn it into a whiskey, it would smell something like this.
Palate
The nose moves to the palate with dark brown sugar, peppermint, sage, and a bit of dill, chocolate, apricots, lemon peel, slight wood smoke, oak, and allspice. This has a good medium mouthfeel, and the balance is excellent, with mature oak flavors that show off the age of this whiskey on the back palate. Sweeter butterscotch, with more stone fruit and vanilla, come forward as the session continues. Although not super complex, I love the dark and rich flavors of this profile, which drinks under its proof.
Finish
Allspice lingers on the palate with chocolate, mint, a hint of dill, lemon peel, vanilla, stone fruit, oak, and soft tobacco. The finish is very long, landing with notes of chocolate, well-aged oak, pipe tobacco, and a hint of mint and wood smoke.
Conclusion
Stella’s Secret Stash focuses on its rich, dark, oak flavors of brown sugar and chocolate, with a generous but not overwhelming amount of peppermint. Other key flavors include the classic MGP herbaceous rye notes of sage and a touch of dill, plus a moderate amount of apricot-like stone fruit, lemon brightness, and a subtle smoky wood note. It also earns points for its balance, with a moderate amount of proof heat, making it a really enjoyable sipper.
It’s not every day that I see a 14-year MGP single barrel available, and for a price that’s not outrageous. The last time I purchased a 14-year MGP rye was the Maryland Heritage Series Sherwood Pure Rye, which set me back $275. Compared to Sherwood, Stella is less complex, but I prefer its darker and more chocolatey forward profile slightly more. This is an excellent rye drinker’s rye that I’d highly recommend.
Rating: 8.4/10.
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.
