ModernThirst
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    ModernThirst
    • HOME
    • News & Views
      1. Podcasts
      2. Videos
      3. Events
      4. Links
      Featured

      Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

      By BillNovember 30, 20210
      Recent

      Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

      November 30, 2021

      Old Forester 21st Release of Annual Birthday Bourbon

      August 24, 2021

      Press Release: Old Forester’s Next Release in the 117 Series Features a Blend of Barrels Aged Solely in Warehouse K 

      August 20, 2021
    • Bourbon & Whiskey
      • Bourbon and Whiskey Reviews
      • Bourbon and Whiskey Mash Bills
      • Bourbon Information & Resources
      • All Whiskey Content
        • Bourbon
        • Rye Whiskey
        • Scotch
        • Irish Whisky
      • Distillery Visits/Kentucky Bourbon Trail
    • Food, Beer, & Lifestyle
      • Pepperheads: Hot Sauce
      • Lifestyle & Features
      • Cocktail Corner
      • Food
      • Barware
      • Other Distilled Spirits
      • All Beer Content
      • Recipes
    • Hot Sauce
    • Shop
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Patrons and Supporters
      • Sample Policy
      • Get in touch with ModernThirst
      • Advertise with ModernThirst
    ModernThirst
    Photo courtesy of Limestone Branch
    Bourbon/Whiskey Reviews

    Minor Case Rye Whiskey

    BillBy BillMay 11, 2017Updated:October 12, 2017No Comments3 Mins Read

    Minor Case Rye

    87 Good

    The sherry finish does wonders for what would otherwise be an immature rye whiskey. Barrel Finishing is truly a craft, and Steve and Paul Beam are proving to be excellent craftsmen.

    What it is

    Minor Case is a new, limited edition Rye Whiskey from Limestone Branch.  The whiskey itself is sourced from MGP, and is two years old, but is then finished a minimum of 6 months in Sherry casks.  While there are different mash bills for MGP rye, this one reportedly uses 51% rye, 45% corn, and 4% malted barley.

    Limestone Branch is partially owned by Luxco, and that is particularly relevant in this case (no pun intended) because Luxco recently released Ezra Brooks Straight Rye, which is also a 2 year old MGP rye whiskey, though it has no secondary barrel finish.  So a comparison of these two presentations is inevitable.

    My grandfather, Minor Case Beam, made rye whiskey in his day, before prohibition, which was his specialty. This rye whiskey is inspired by him and a tribute to his distilling legacy,” says Steve Beam, president and distiller of Limestone Branch Distillery. “His mission was to craft only the finest whiskey – we are honoring him, his passion for distilling and what could’ve been if prohibition didn’t occur with this straight rye.”

    Minor Case Rye Vital Stats
    •  ABV:45% (Proof: 90º)
    •  Mash Bill: 51% Rye, 45% Corn, 4% malted barley
    • Style: Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Sherry Barrels
    • Distilled at: MGP
    • Age: 2 Years plus 8 months in Cream Sherry casks
    • Producer: Limestone Branch
    •  Price: $50
    •  Availability: Limited

    Packaging

    Wow.  This is my favorite bottle of the year.  Minor Case’s historic crest is embossed on the flask-style bottle. There’s also a letterpress label and a cork stopper.  Simply put, it looks fantastic.

    Appearance

    Medium amber, fairly clear.  This is both young and likely well-filtered, at least from the initial dump.  Despite the appearance, it is apparently non-chill filtered.

    Nose

    There is a definite sherry note to the nose, but that is secondary to toffee and baking spices.  A hint of rye pepper and citrus peel are present as well.

    Taste

    Initially, I expected this to taste a lot like the Ezra Brooks.  By that, I mean to say I expected it to taste young and immature.  The barrel finish does wonders here, however, and it’s far from that.  In fact, it’s pretty tasty.  The regular MGP goodness of lemon zest, black pepper, and candied fruits are present, but a wonderfully boozy sherry finish quickly follows up with a hint of caramel and toffee.

    Finishglencairn-amazon

    The finish of this is probably on the short-to-medium range, and without the sherry barrels, would probably be very dry and extremely short.  But the sherry notes continue through and linger a bit after the rest of the typical rye notes have faded.  There isn’t a ton of oak or barrel tannins, which is to be expected in such a young whiskey.  The downside to the relatively young age is prevalent on the mouth feel, however, as this is a really thin sip on the tongue, which no doubt contributes to the ever-so-slightly truncated finish.

    Synopsis

    This is a great example of how a secondary finish can do wonders for what is otherwise a lackluster spirit.  Comparing the 2 year Ezra Brooks to this is night and day.  I scored that Ezra Brooks an 81, and didn’t recommend it.  This one is much better.  And while its lower proof and thin mouth feel probably don’t lend it to being a great mixing whiskey, it drinks exceptionally easy straight up.

    ModernThirst.com score: 87 out of 100.

    What does that score mean?

    Photo courtesy of Limestone Branch
    Facebook Comments
    Previous ArticleRebel Yell® Bourbon Releases 2017 Edition of Single Barrel and Announces New Option for Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye
    Next Article Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Guide to releases and batches
    Bill
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Bill is the Co-Founder, Editor-in Chief, and official Bourbon-o-Phile for ModernThirst.com, and Founder and Chief Blending Officer for Four Gate Whiskey Company. He is a native of Louisville, KY in the heart of Bourbon Country. He attended the University of Kentucky in the mid to late 1990s. He has also been published on Liquor.com. He has conducted various bourbon and whiskey tastings in cities across the country, and consulted for multiple national labels. He is married with two daughters, and lives in east Louisville. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at Bill@ModernThirst.com.

    Related Posts

    Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

    November 30, 2021

    Old Forester 21st Release of Annual Birthday Bourbon

    August 24, 2021

    Press Release: Old Forester’s Next Release in the 117 Series Features a Blend of Barrels Aged Solely in Warehouse K 

    August 20, 2021

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Browse Bourbon and Whiskey Reviews

    Shop T-Shirts from $18.49

     

    [bbp-login]
    Pending Reviews

     

    Shop
    Craft Beer Ratings

    Matt's Beer Ratings

    WHISKEY NEWS AND REVIEWS

    Recent Comments
    • Bill on Signed Bottles
    • Bill on Signed Bottles
    • Tracy on Signed Bottles
    Archives
    • November 2021
    • August 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    Tags
    #IfIhadaBenjamin Barrel Proof Barton Beer Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Bourbon/Whiskey Reviews Bourbon Classic bourbon review Budget buffalo trace craft Diageo distillery Elijah Craig Evan Williams Four Gate Four Roses GQuiz Heaven Hill irish Whiskey Islay Jim Beam Kentucky Luxco Matt modernthirst Modern Thirst Old Forester press release rating ratings Review Reviews Rye Score scotch Single Barrel Single Malt tasting tasting notes Video Whiskey Whisky Wild Turkey
    Recent Comments:
    • Bill on Signed Bottles
    • Bill on Signed Bottles
    • Tracy on Signed Bottles

     

     

    © 2020 ModernThirst. Please be responsible. Don’t drink and drive.

    © 2020 ModernThirst. Please be responsible. Don't drink and drive.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.