There is so much rose and oak that I feel like I drank a bouquet. Palate: The mouthfeel is oily, and it drinks hot and spicy like a rye. Citrus zest and rosehip fill out the back end. The banana not seems to have ripened compared to the 20-year-old, and with some cereal notes the nose takes on banana bread. Nose: I get strong baby powder and green apple. Vital Stats: 45.1% ABV, 90.2 proof mash bill 86% corn, 8% malted barley, 6% rye aged 21 years, originally distilled by Bernheim 750mL $100. Score: 4.5/5 Tasting Notes: Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 21 Year Old The palate of the Rhetoric 20 Year Old has strong, specific notes, but all together it’s a pretty tame whiskey where everything works. There is a lot of complexity, but overall it is balanced. I was surprised the oak was not entirely aversive. The nose seems deceiving because on the palate I get a bitterness comparable to citrus pith, amaro, and strong black tea, which all makes the dram a little astringent.įinal Thoughts: Ranked number one for me out the series. I get tons of bright green apple, mixed with an old bitty’s perfume. Palate: The mouthfeel is oily, and it comes off hot not high proof hot, instead more like a rye. Oddly, the end note is Johnson & Johnson baby powder. The sweet smell of butterscotch and toffee give it the right balance. There is a lot of citrus peel mostly lemon peel, but a bit of orange peel too. Nose: Right off the bat, I get tangy fresh banana that needs a day to ripen. Vital Stats: 45% ABV, 90 proof mash bill 86% corn, 8% malted barley, 6% rye aged 20 years, originally distilled by Bernheim 750mL $90. (image via Diageo) Tasting Notes: Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 20 Year Old The 25 year old Orphan Barrel Rhetoric, the oldest in the series. As a collection, tasting all of them together I found surprising and necessary to fully appreciate the differences. Individually, the whiskies each stand out.
Orphan barrell series#
Below you will see my tasting journey of the Rhetoric series from its initial 20-year-old whiskey to the final, recently released 25-year-old.
I have previously reviewed the Rhetoric 23 and 24 side by side.
While the majority of bourbons on the market are typically young, there are many theories on the perfect age for bourbon some believe bourbon shouldn’t be aged past 15 years. With the Rhetoric series from Orphan Barrel, they are testing the aging limits.
You would think the tiny discrepancies in proof wouldn’t have that much of an impact, but it really does even with the Rhetoric 21-, 22-, 23-, and 24-year-old going up in. Starting with a 20-year-old bourbon at 90 proof, the Rhetoric collection moves on up to a 25-year-old bourbon at 91 proof. Current and future distilleries should look at the Rhetoric series for inspiration to hone their own craft. As a collective whole, Rhetoric earns an A+ as it exemplifies the nuanced importance time and oak have in the whiskey making process. The Whiskey Wash has been following the Orphan Barrel experimental series with oak, Rhetoric, since its debut in 2014. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. Editor’s Note: These whiskeys were provided to us as review samples by Diageo.
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