Anyone who has paid attention to the craft distillery movement recently will have likely heard of Middle West Spirits. As one of the first craft distilleries in Ohio, Middle West has played a significant role in contributing to the growth of the craft distillery movement, even paving the way for other craft distilleries in Ohio.
As such, when an influential distillery in the middle of the West releases its first cask strength offerings for one of its core three products, there's a little bit of an unavoidable buzz. Get it?
Since its initial release, one of Middle West Spitis's hallmarks has been its Dark Pumpernickel rye. This expression is a testament to the innovation Middle West pursues and the boundaries they are willing to push when it comes to unique and complex whiskey. So, it may go without saying that a cask strength offering of this fan favorite has garnered much attention, to the point of selling out.
Thank you to the folks at Middle West for providing this bottle as a gift and in celebration of their 16-year milestone. I am humbled any time a bottle is sent as a thanks for supporting a distillery. The reviewing process, however, will remain the same as with any other bottle I sit with for an extended time to get to know it better. So, what did this cask-strength pumpernickel have to say? Read on to find out.
Company on Label: Middle West Spirits
Whiskey Type: Straight rye whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: 80% dark pumpernickel rye, 10% non-GMO yellow corn, 5% soft red winter wheat, 5% barley
Proof: 125.7°
Age: 4 years
Further identification: One of three flagship offerings from Middle West that have been bottled at cask strength for an MSRP of $69.99
Nose: Upon first lifting the glass, I'm struck by a rather distinct quality entering my nose, like bran muffins baking in the oven and saturating the air. The volume here is substantial, with a lovely pumpernickel rye spice that reminds me of cinnamon-stewed plums. A few swirls release a bit of earthiness, like picking mint leaves while kicking up dirt during a moonlit walk. The fruitiness is abundant with ripened plums and late-in-the-season grapes dropping from the vine—the mature and tired ones. The uniqueness has me curious about what I will taste. I shall wait no longer!
Returning to the nose after a sip ushers in more proof, my nose scrunches slightly at it. The sweet and spicy quality, however, is holding, and takes me to a darkened kitchen for a midnight snack as comforting and satisfying as this. There is a slight hint of cork, a possible result of the bottle being shipped on its side when it usually wouldn't have otherwise. Late in the glass brings in black tea and more mint. The empty glencairn smells like the bottom of a cake dish pan with a sticky charred crumb layer that no one ever wants to have to clean.
Palate: Salted caramel chews lead the way, followed most ardently by purple plums and dark cherries. Sweet on sweet doesn't last long before the rye spice rushes in, notably nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom. A sizzle of grilled lemon dances across my tongue as the finish moves into a minty, sugary dessert. A tootsie roll lands in the palm of my hand, warm and soft from being in my pocket. Additional sips swing between being too hot and totally fine. The linger is moderate with a hint of fennel seed and a whisper of something metallic. The heat of the proof begins to overwhelm my palate as I get closer to finishing my pour. The last sip reminds me of that scoop of jello on a plate filled with all the fixings for Thanksgiving; adding it to your plate made sense then, but now you're not too sure you want to finish it.
TL;DR: a range of unique flavors make for a memorable, albeit somewhat hot, cask strength rye
Rating: 3.5/5
There is no shortage of craft and flavor when it comes to this pour, nor is there a question that this is cask strength. I don't consider myself sensitive to proof but rather aware of the delicate balance required for cask-strength spirits. After speaking of my woes to my fellow whiskey reviewer, he suggested a few drops of water, and I was astounded by the difference. With just a few drops of water, the heat dampened, and the flavors amplified, as did my wish that the entire bottle could taste like this. A sage reminder that it's important to take your glencairn into your own hands and do what you feel is right. In this case, it was water.
We're at a unique time in the world of whiskey, where the options are too many for any one person to try in their lifetime. Even so, I'd like to see more patience being exercised with distilleries in finding a whiskey's fullest potential, one drop of water at a time. Not all cask strength whiskeys are meant to be cask strength, so experiment with your pours; sometimes, the results are better than what's in the bottle!
