With each passing year the excitement around the Pinhook Vertical Series release grows. Pinhook also allows a select number of groups and retailers to be a part of the vertical series - with each release we select a barrel (released at the beginning of May) and as do our friends at Breaking Bourbon. Today we're passing it over to them to tell you more about their 9-Year Vertical Rye.
This is the 6th edition in our Pinhook Vertical Rye series, which will run for three additional years culminating with a 12 year old release. To clarify how this is different from Pinhook’s standard nationwide Vertical Series release, the nationwide version is batched, blending together a set of 9 year old rye barrels to represent the particular year. In this case, we’ve chosen from a select few single barrels that were part of the set and deemed worthy of being bottled individually.
Now at 9 years old, this edition is really starting to show its age. Distilled at MGP’s Ross & Squibb Distillery, it showcases those wonderful aged 95% rye flavors like in past years.
In typical fashion, we went all out with our Single Barrel Club sticker for this special set of releases. With each Pinhook release featuring a different horse, we ran with that idea and created an 8 part sticker series that when combined, creates a beautiful panoramic picture of galloping horses. For the final sticker (Year 9), we plan to do a little something special to cap off this epic vertical series. We’re really excited about this latest single barrel release and we hope you will be too.
The aroma showcases warming rye spice with accents of orange zest, caramel, and fleeting oak. Honey, brown sugar, and clove along with apple on the backend of the palate give way to a wave of baking spices as the sip transitions to its conclusion. Delicious cinnamon spice and savory tobacco are rounded out by hints of aged oak, pie crust, and sweet brown sugar. This is a sophisticated rye that drinks almost like a spicy bourbon due to its ever-present sweet notes.
