Rare Saint Straight Rye Whiskey Review.

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 Rare Saint Straight Rye Whiskey Review.



    Rare Saint is a newer brand on the Indiana whiskey scene, with its operations based in Indianapolis. Early indications suggest they do a lot of sourcing from MGP, which is far from a bad thing, MGP makes some excellent whiskey. That said, there’s a bit of marketing questions here, with the bottle labeled as a “limited release” and “rare spirit.” I picked this one up out of curiosity and a desire to support a local brand, hoping to see how they handle barrel selection.

    The labeling suggests a two-barrel blend and an official age statement is nowhere to be found on the bottle. Their website mentions a 5-year age, but without that detail on the packaging, it’s left as an assumption.


For the full video review visit the link here: https://youtu.be/DZdKGnv-FUs

Age Statement: 5 years (according to the website).

ABV: 57.65%.

Mash bill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley.

Area of Distillation: Indiana.

Appearance: Dark honey.


On the nose:
    From the first swirl, the aroma is unexpected. herbal and botanical, almost reminiscent of gin. Mint, juniper berry, and pine mingle with charred oak, light vanilla, and caramel. The rye spice is present but comes across more grassy and green than the usual MGP 95/5 profile. The nose avoids harsh ethanol initially, though with more time in glass, a rubbing alcohol note starts to creep in.


Taste:
    The sip begins with herbal and medicinal tones, with a faint touch of dill that hints toward MGP, but bitterness quickly moves in and lingers. There’s a slight nuttiness alongside char and spice, but the flavors feel disconnected. That initial botanical intrigue from the nose doesn’t carry over with the same charm, instead, the mid-palate becomes muddled and off-balance, with the bitterness overshadowing complexity.


Finish:
    Medium length, but dominated by that same bitter, slightly funky note. The aftertaste leaves more questions than satisfaction, and any lingering spice or sweetness is fleeting.


Final Thoughts: 
    Rare Saint Straight Rye Whiskey is, frankly, a miss. It positions itself as a premium offering, but the execution falls far short. Whether due to poor barrel selection, potential mishandling, or a tainted batch, this whiskey doesn’t showcase the strengths of its presumed MGP roots. With other 95/5 ryes on the market, many at half the price, outshining this in both flavor and balance, it's hard to find any redeeming qualities here. The lack of an official age statement on the bottle and the disjointed flavor profile don’t help its case. Hopefully, future releases from Rare Saint can redeem the brand, but for now, this bottle is best left on the shelf.


Rating: F (Do not buy).

Cost: $54.99 for 750ml.

For the full video review visit the link here: https://youtu.be/DZdKGnv-FUs

Social platforms to follow me: https://linktr.ee/thelastcallyt

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