Doc Swinson’s Alter Ego Solera Rum Cask Finished Straight Rye Whiskey

About

The Doc Swinson’s Collection began with an extremely small cache of Bourbon Barrels that were just too good to pass up. It has since grown into a unique and on occasion extremely rare, collection of American whiskies. The proof is in the palate. Each whiskey brought in is personally tasted by the four of us at Doc Swinson’s. If it’s good we will find a place for it in either the Flagship, Exploratory or Rare Release series.

When it comes to finishing techniques, we look to the old-world traditions that have stood the test of time, from Scottish whiskey blenders to the timeless sherry pyramids of the Spanish solera. However, sometimes we stumble upon a whiskey that needs no perfecting and we simply bottle at cask strength.

Whatever whiskey comes through these doors, our small group of tastemakers at Doc’s work hard to create flavor profiles that hold our expectations of great whiskey to a higher standard; and that starts by always letting the whiskey shine. No need to take our word for it, give ‘em a try! – Jesse, Chris, Keith, and Steve

Doc Swinson’s Alter Ego Solera Rum Cask Finished Straight Rye Whiskey started as an experimental project when we found ourselves with an excess of 5+ year rums from Trinidad, Venezuela, and Jamaica alongside a number of recently dumped bourbon casks a few years ago. After dumping the aged rum we decided to employ the Solera aging method, a technique for blending and aging from the old world to create a rum cask rye whiskey. Back then there were only one or two rum cask finished rye whiskies in the mainstream market, so it was natural for us to add to this underappreciated category. Spicy rye and fruity rums are a natural complement — think Caribbean spice cake.

Our first iteration was compromised of a few dozen of these emptied rum casks which we filled with our blend of MGP rye whiskies and allowed to mellow for several months before making the first draw to bottle. Tasting along the way, we found notes from our casks ranging from classic baking spices like allspice, clove, cinnamon, to fresh pineapple skins, pressed apple cider, and sweetened pears.

Unlike the Bourbon finished in Sherry and Cognac casks where we manipulate and play with the blend throughout the process, Doc Swinson’s Rye Whiskey finished in Rum cask Soleras is only influenced before the solera process, what is bottled is straight from the solera.

BLEND PROCESS: Our blend starts as two different rye whiskies from MGP. A 95% Rye 5% malted barley mashbill and a 51% rye 4% malted barley 45% corn mashbill both being 5+ years old. Once deemed ready we blend the two together to make a base spirit of about 73% Rye. This is then diluted from it’s original cask strength of 120 to 103, the golden proof, before being added into the top row of the Solera. After a pull for bottling is made the whiskey is proofed down to bottle strength and rested before bottling.

Tasting Notes

NOSE: Light oak, and drizzled caramel.

PALATE: Velvet tides of fig, poached pears with cinnamon, a hint of anise.

FINISH: Long grassy cane sugar.