Review: A. Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey
No one would have guessed sleepy old Old Overholt would move upmarket, but somehow it keeps on happening. The latest Overholt isn’t “Old,” It’s “A.” — after founder Abraham Overholt — with a retro bottle and the original mashbill of 80% rye, 20% malted barley. (Standard Old Overholt’s mashbill is not disclosed.) This mashbill is a Pennsylvania-style concoction known as “Monongahela Mash,” which is fun to say. No age statement is offered.
“With over 200 years of exceptional craftmanship, Overholt is engrained in American history with its industrial roots and as a spirit that has set the industry standard since inception,” said Freddie Noe. “The newest launch of A. Overholt is the result of highly crafted whiskey, informed and inspired by generational expertise, and I’m honored to steward this brand forward while paying homage to its past and our shared commitment to American whiskey innovation.”
The Overholt brand is known as A Keystone of American Rye Whiskey because of the shared qualities between Abe and The Keystone State itself: hard work, steely grit, big ideas, firm conviction, and its long-standing industrious spirit. It’s this conviction that drove Abraham Overholt forward – through wars, prohibition, cultural strife, and plenty of double shifts. Its indomitable spirit has remained resilient despite various changes in ownership and production throughout the years, including a change in hands to Abraham’s own grandson, American industrialist Henry Clay Frick. Today, the Pennsylvania-born whiskey of the Industrial Revolution is produced in Clermont, Kentucky at the James B. Beam Distilling Co., where the rich tradition of American production lives on.
OK! Let’s get Monongahelified!
The Old Overholt DNA feels well-represented here, with a spice-laden nose that evokes aromas of cloves and caraway seed, followed by a more aggressive note of cut green grass and some tobacco leaf. It’s not a shy whiskey — few ryes ever are — and its herbaceous qualities are backed up by ample notes of oaky barrel char, giving it a somewhat rustic feel.
It’s curious that the palate comes across as significantly sweeter: butterscotch and creamy peanut butter hit first, followed by an ample, spice-driven punch. Here the clove fades more into allspice, while the bready caraway is more forceful. A pinch of crumbled potpourri drives the whiskey to its finish, with charry oak notes layered throughout. The finish is a bit tannic and slightly smoky, the barrel char notes holding the spicier and more herbal elements at bay.
In a world of premium rye whiskeys, A. Overholt is… fine. There’s not enough nuance here for straight sipping, and while I’m sure it’s delightful in a Sazerac, I’m not sure I’d reach for it over a standard bottling of Old Overholt or Rittenhouse… unless I wanted to show off with a fancy bottle. All told: No real complaints with this one.
95 proof.
B+ / $40 / beamsuntory.com
The post Review: A. Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.