Review: Dented Brick Barrel Finished Straight Rye Whiskey

It all started with a simple idea to build a world class distillery in one of the driest states in the nation.  Marc Christiansen selected the location to build Dented Brick Distillery primarily because of the artesian well that was drilled down 300 feet through the rock below the property.  As an artesian well the water flows under natural pressure without the need to pump.  This water is so pure they like to say “this years snow is next years whiskey.  Shortly after drilling, the well driller was shot and killed outside his house.  Some of the bullet ridden dented bricks from his house were used in the construction of Dented Brick Distillery.  I wouldn’t call this a whiskey distillery as they also craft vodka, rum, gin, and tequila, but Harley Norwood is their Head Distillery and Production Manager and prior to joining Dented Brick he working as a Distiller for 8 years at High West in Park City Utah.  High West is a Whiskey Distillery.  The 100% rye grain used to craft DB Barrel Finished Straight Rye is milled mashed fermented and distilled in house.  After distillation, the whiskey is matured for a minimum 2 years in new oak barrels.  It is then transferred to former fill cabernet barrels sourced from Hells Canyon Winery.  The spirit rests for an additional 18 months prior to bottling.  Hells Canyon is a family owned winery in the Snake River Valley of Idaho.  Steve Robertson and his family have been hand crafting wines grown and estate bottled for 42 years.  The aroma leads with oak, cherry, and cinnamon.  Additional time brings out almond, caramel, toasted coconut, and brown sugar notes.  The sweet plum, and raisin entry builds to a roasted almond and dark cherry peak.  It fades with raisin, brown sugar, and red grape and finishes semidry with spicy rye, red grapes, oak, wood spice, toasted coconut, and wine tannins.

Made in South Salt Lake Utah

45% Alcohol

Score: 91

Award: Gold Medal