| Rating | 94 |
| Style |
Rye American Whiskey Whiskey |
| Produced In | United States |
| ABV | 57.9% |
| Availability | Year Round |
| Price | $67.00 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Reviewed | 2025-09-16 |
Castle & Key Straight Rye Whiskey VDN Experimental Cask Strength Review
Castle & Key’s 63 percent rye mash bill is aged for 3 years in new charred American oak before being finished in vino de naranja casks for 11 months. Despite the youth, this straight rye has complexity for days, with the orange wine (actually, white wine macerated with orange peels) perhaps covering up some graininess by injecting notes of orange peel and fortified wine. In a way, this tastes a bit like a bottled cocktail, with notes of chocolate-covered cherries, sherry, and leather, and an Old Fashioned-level of viscosity. Truly unique and outstanding.
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