"The Geshmak Barrel"
Released March, 2025
Age: 8 years and 4 months
Type: Straight rye finished in a wildflower honey barrel
Proof: 120.6
Mash bill: 95% Rye/ 5% Malted Barley
Finishing time: 1 year and 1 month
Distillery: MGP
Bottler: J&B
Tasting notes:
Nose: There’s so much going on here. There’s an initial note of Ashkenazi charoset (no joke) which is clearly many flavors but they all shine. That includes apple, cinnamon, toast and syrupy red wine. On top of that, the honey shines through well. There’s also a bit of bramble fruit, as it seems like any MGP yeast will find a way there.
Palate: Initial notes are stone fruit sweet though they very quickly drift to honey sweet mixed with herbal undertones. After that, there’s a fairly wild mix of cherry, anise, cinnamon and more and more cherry. Then more cherry. The sweetness in the back of the palate is candy-like, a la Airheads or something like that, but it is far from overbearing.
Finish: Very long. I’ll tell you when it’s over. It just keeps going.
Overall: MGP 95/5 rye is excellent on its own. A year of honey takes it to a higher level.
