I’m a longtime fan of Rittenhouse Rye Bottled in Bond so I was excited to try its ‘big brother’ Pikesville. These are both Heaven Hill ryes but Pikesville is aged for 2 more years, bottled at a higher proof and theoretically taken from better barrels. Pikesville is ~60% more expensive though so let’s see if it is worth the upgrade.
Review
Age: 6 years
Proof: 110
Neat
Nose: Less fragrant that I expected with oak and smokey notes
Taste: Bold rye and spice are balanced with sweet honey and a touch of the oak from the nose
Finish: Significantly less spicy than I expected a medium to short finish with honey and hints of spice
On a rock
Nose: The ice brings a nice honeyed touch to the nose
Taste: The ice moderates the rye but it is still definitely there though the honey comes a bit more to the forefront. Another note is relatively prominent as well though I couldn’t quite place it, clove or baking spice perhaps?
Finish: Very similar to the neat finish
Conclusion
This is a nice step up from Rittenhouse especially with the extra proof. If you are mostly sticking with Rittenhouse for cocktails this doesn’t do much more but if you are drinking it neat it’s worth the upgrade if you can find a bottle at a good price. This one definitely isn’t worth hunting or overpaying though.
1 Star - Good whiskey: I would choose to drink this over readily available whiskies
TL;DR: Step up from Rittenhouse but not a must have upgrade