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
Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B524
Bourbon

Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B524

Larceny

Larceny Barrel Proof continues to deliver exceptional value in the cask-strength wheated bourbon category. Batch B524 balances its considerable proof with enough wheat-driven softness to remain dangerously drinkable. A few drops of water bloom the caramel and pecan notes without losing any structural complexity.

118.4 proof
Larceny Barrel Proof Batch C924
Bourbon

Larceny Barrel Proof Batch C924

Larceny

Larceny Barrel Proof consistently demonstrates what happens when wheat meets new charred oak at full strength — the entry point is soft, but the barrel takes over with authority. The C924 batch is a textbook example of the series' ability to balance power with approachability.

127.4 proof
Elijah Craig 23 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon

Elijah Craig 23 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Elijah Craig

This is bourbon that has transcended sugar and arrived at something more contemplative. At 23 years, the sweetness has been transmuted by oak and time into a structural depth — caramel and toffee exist not as endpoints but as foundations for tobacco, leather, and bitter chocolate. It is a masterclass in how age can transform bourbon's inherent sweetness into profound, multidimensional complexity. A rare and worthy meditation on patience.

90 proof
Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon

Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Elijah Craig

This is bourbon as long-term negotiation between spirit and wood. Eighteen Kentucky summers have given more than they've taken, and the result is a whiskey of uncommon poise. A masterclass in patience.

90 proof
More Bourbon Reviews