Walleye Run Malted Rye Whiskey 7 Year Old, American Oak Cask, 46%

There’s a pleasing balance here between the sweeter side of malted rye and the oak-led finish. Brown sugar and cherry on the nose lead into chocolate and hazelnut, while rye spice keeps the palate from reading as purely sweet. At 46% ABV, the whisky has a clearly stated strength that gives useful context without needing to make claims about how it feels. This sounds like a grounded, flavour-forward American rye with a satisfying sweet-and-spicy thread.

daybreak kettle30 Aug

Brown sugar and cherry give the nose a sweet direction, with toasted oak alongside them. Chocolate and hazelnut carry that richness onto the palate, while the spicy side of the malted rye gives the sweetness some contrast. The oak-led finish, with lingering sweetness and rye spice, sounds like a natural continuation rather than a sharp change of course. I usually prefer a brighter, fresher style, so the emphasis on chocolate, sweetness and oak sits a little outside my favourite lane. Even so, the rye spice is a welcome counterpoint. For someone drawn to richer rye flavours, that balance has more appeal than sweetness alone.