ASW Distillery Fiddler Toasted Rye — Whiskey Bonded × Whiskey Noobs Single Barrel

I am delighted to offer this collaboration between Whiskey Bonded and a friend and fellow creator I greatly admire. Chris of Whiskey Noobs invited me—and one patron from each of our groups—to select an ASW toasted rye. On a live call we tasted three excellent samples and chose this barrel without dissent.

It is a fine example of Kentucky-style rye at its best: a high-corn mash bill of 51% rye, 45% corn, and 4% malted barley, aged 7 years and 6 months, then finished two years in a heavy-toast, char #2 barrel and bottled at 115.2 proof. It is a pleasure to make this available to Whiskey Bonded patrons.

The nose is immediately sweeter than most ryes allow—amaretto and rich brown sugar first, then vanilla wafers and a soft lift of apricot.

On the palate the texture is warm and slightly oily, enough to set the spice a half-step back. Toffee and pecan pie meet a measured tingle of black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg, all underlined by butterscotch. Sweetness coats; spice punctuates. Neither wins.

The finish lingers with dark chocolate, almond, caramel, and nutmeg before a final rye-spice flicker settles into soft oak.

A quiet negotiation between coating sweetness and spice—complex enough to hold attention, balanced enough simply to enjoy. Pairs especially well with a favorite cigar.