Sometimes you stumble upon awesomeness by accident. This was the case about a year back when a friend of mine and I were shopping at the Liquor Store. We wanted a good bourbon so we grabbed a bottle of Basil Hayden's.
We were in a hurry because we were cooking for 100 people later that night. In our haste we didn't notice the label color was different. In fact, the words were different, too! It wasn't until we got back to the kitchen that we noticed we had erred.
Going with the old "Any Port (pardon the pun) in a storm" thing, we cracked open the bottle. And oh, Joy of Joys! This stuff is wonderful! Full of flavor but not overbearing! The strength of the Ryes are balanced out by the sweetness of the Port. But it's NOT a sweet drink.
There's no shudders after. There is only a delicious finish. No need to dilute it or open it up with ice water. No need for rocks - but it is a nice drink on the rocks. And for God's sake - don't use it with a mixer! Here's the Distiller's official description:
"Blending is an art form, and our Dark Rye is your chance to own what might very well be a masterpiece.
It all begins with Kentucky Rye, providing a firm foundation of spice, oak, dried fruit and subtle molasses undertones for this release to build upon. From there, Canadian Rye from our award-winning Alberta Distillery is skillfully layered in. A touch of California Port, and its complementary notes of ripe fruit, provides the third and final layer to a whiskey just as at home on the rocks as it is in a cocktail.
Full in flavor, yet delicately nuanced, you’d be wise to grab a bottle of our Dark Rye to experience this magical blend for yourself."
Grab a bottle if you can find one!
Cheers!