With Rye still on the table, and in the glass, today I am turning my attention to another Maryland-style Rye. After looking at the Sagamore Spirit Rye as a first example of this category, today I am going to review Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey.
When I was researching US rye whiskeys, this is one that appeared in many lists of great ryes for beginners and more advanced drinkers alike. What is peculiar, at least to my European mind, is that while this is a whiskey rooted in Maryland, today it is produced in Kentucky. How it got there is an interesting story, and one worth looking at before jumping into the review.
TL:DR: A mild Rye that still packs a good flavour punch.
Score*: 6, good stuff.
Prohibition’s effect on whisky production
Prohibition, from 1922 to 1930, had a dramatic effect on the US spirits production landscape. Arguably, the same can be said overseas, affecting Scotland and Ireland. There is no certainty about the number of distilleries operating in the USA before 1922, but it is often said that close to 2000 were operational. Only a limited number of distilleries were allowed to operate to produce “medicinal spirit”. Six is the most often reported number, although this well-written piece by Dram Devotees outlines how that is at least an oversimplification.
With the loss of those distilleries came a loss of many well-loved whiskeys. Some disappeared forever. Others resurfaced, like today’s whiskey in review, Pikesville Straight Rye.
Pikesville: from pre-prohibition to today
Pikesville is one of the brands that survived prohibition. It was a bit of a journey to get there, and that’s probably an understatement. Many, including current producer Heaven Hill, report that Pikesville Rye started to be produced around 1890, but very few sources mention the original distillery. I did manage to find some info in this very well-researched article on the blog Those Pre-Pro Whiskey Men!. which mentions the Winland Distilling Company as the producer until 1920.
The brand gained a following in the Baltimore area, but with the advent of Prohibition, the Winland distillery closed, and Pikesville disappeared from the shelves. A local businessman purchased the rights to the name and recipe, and production restarted in 1936. Initially, the whiskey was made at the Moumental Distillery, still depicted on the label of the whiskey today. Monumental was damaged by a fire, and production then moved ot the Majestic Distillery, where it continued to be made until 1972, when the distillery went out of business.
Heaven Hill took over the rights to the brand in 1982 and restarted production at its facilities in Kentucky. Throughout this time, Pikesville Supreme, as it was called, was an 80-proof (40% ABV) rye whiskey, with its popularity concentrated in Maryland and the Baltimore area.
In 2015, Heaven Hill decided to revamp the brand to increase its appeal outside of its core market, launching the current 110-proof, 6-year-old version of the Pikesville Straight Rye I am just about to review.
Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey
Specs
Price paid: $53.60 (in Europe, available around 85-90€)
Lot: A32622129
ABV: 55% (110 proof)
Natural colour: Yes
Non-chill filtered: Not stated, but Heaven Hill chill filters most of its core products
Mashbill: 51% Rye, 35% Corn, 14% Malted Barley. Aged at least 6 years.
Tasting Notes
Colour: A nice, rich amber, as I would expect from the use of charred new casks.
Nose: While there is definitely a certain Rye-ness on the nose, the overall impression is sweeter and mellower. At first, I get fruit juice, cherry and peach, some caramel, vanilla, cinnamon and pepper. Then the green rye note hits in the guise of mint pastilles and a touch of liquorice. A hint of shoe polish. There is a hint of something dusty, maybe peanut husks, which seems like a constant note for me in Heaven Hill products… or maybe it’s just confirmation bias.
Taste and finish: It has a pretty good texture, and the ABV is not too apparent, feels lower than the 55%. Straight up, a lot more of that cherry, like an artificially flavoured cherry lollipop with a good dollop of vanillin. Then a big hit of spice, cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg, a roasted grain note, like dark toasted pumpernickel. A touch of oak lingers in the background.
The finish is, unsurprisingly, back with that cherry note, almost like a children’s cough syrup this time, vanilla, oak and a light green herbal touch.
Score*: 6, good stuff.
Some whiskies are made to be enjoyed without needing to become meditative experiences. This Pikeville straight Rye in today’s review is one of them. While it won’t steal your breath away, it makes for an enjoyable dram. As a rye, it is a pretty approachable one, which explains why it appears on so many lists of ryes to try.
At its US price, $50-55, this is also a great value. Which brings me to the real pain point for those of us in Europe. Yes, you can buy Pikesville Rye across the pond, which is more than you can say for other US rye whiskeys. But the selling price is an issue. At 90€ it is seriously overpriced for what it delivers. And while tariffs and import costs justify some increase, doubling the price makes no sense.
So while I would not hesitate to suggest picking this up in the US, in Europe it is a different story: at double the price, competing in the same range as some great Single Malt bottlings, it is not one I would pick up.
* Scores are based on the scoring scale used by Dramface, slightly modified to allow half-points
Interested in my take on a specific whisky style? Check the full Journey here and jump to the relevant Chapter.
After writing my tasting notes, I always find it interesting to look at other opinions. Here are a few different reviews of Pikeskille Straight Rye I enjoyed:
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