The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey
BourbonIssue 66

Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey

Pikesville · Heaven Hill Distillery

$50110 proof6 YearKentucky, USA
Pikesville is a rye that refuses to hide behind sweetness. It's a full-throttle expression of the grain itself, with enough barrel influence to add complexity without masking the raw material. A serious sipper that rewards attention.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

A rush of rye spice leads the charge, followed by dark cherry compote and a layer of toasted caramel. Deeper breaths reveal charred oak and a subtle floral note like dried carnations pressed between pages.

Palate

Muscular and grain-forward, with rye bread crust meeting butterscotch sweetness on the mid-palate. The high proof carries flavors of leather, cracked pepper, and a persistent cherry note without any burn that feels out of place.

Finish

Long and warming, with charred oak and a lingering rye spice that fades into dried tobacco leaf. The grain character stays present to the very end.

Specifications
Mash Bill
Approximately 65% rye, 25% corn, 10% malted barley
Barrel Type
New Charred American oak
Bottled in Bond
No
Single Barrel
No
Wheated
No
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Pikesville Manhattan — 2 oz Pikesville Rye · 1 oz Carpano Antica Formula · 2 dashes Angostura bitters · Stir over ice, strain into a coupe, garnish with a Luxardo cherry.

Food Pairing

Smoked brisket with a black pepper bark

The Story

Originally a Maryland-style rye resurrected by Heaven Hill in Bardstown, Kentucky, Pikesville honors a pre-Prohibition recipe with modern cask-strength ambition.

Train These Aromas
Comments

Be the first to comment.

Leave a comment

0 / 4,000

First-time comments are reviewed before appearing. Be kind, be specific, no spam.

More from Heaven Hill Distillery
Ron Zacapa Edición Negra
Rum

Ron Zacapa Edición Negra

Ron Zacapa

Edición Negra takes Zacapa's high-altitude solera system and pushes it toward heavier charred casks, producing a darker, more brooding rum than its siblings. The result is a spirit that trades some of the Centenario 23's honeyed charm for genuine complexity and a savory edge. Whether you sip it neat or pair it with a robust dessert, this is rum built for contemplation.

86 proof
Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Bourbon

Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Michter's

Michter's 10 Year exemplifies the discipline of selecting barrels that can handle a full decade without tipping into over-oaked bitterness. This is bourbon that rewards slow sipping — each minute in the glass unlocks new layers. A benchmark for what extended aging should accomplish in Kentucky whiskey.

94.4 proof
Don Pilar Añejo Tequila
Tequila

Don Pilar Añejo Tequila

Don Pilar

Don Pilar's Añejo delivers genuine agave character that has been shaped, not masked, by eighteen months in oak. This is añejo the way it should be done — the wood serves the spirit, not the other way around. At its price point, it competes well above its weight class, offering depth and balance that many pricier añejos struggle to achieve.

80 proof
Jensen's Old Tom London Gin
Gin

Jensen's Old Tom London Gin

Jensen's

Christian Jensen spent years researching nineteenth-century recipes to reconstruct an authentic Old Tom profile. The result is not a novelty — it is a genuine revival, offering a window into what gin tasted like before London Dry became the dominant style. Essential for anyone building a historically informed Martinez or Tom Collins.

86 proof
More Bourbon Reviews