Old Overholt 10 Year Cask Strength Rye (2023) 750ml

Old Overholt 10 Year Cask Strength rye is undoubtedly one of the most exciting ryes to come out in 2023. And while it delivers a lot for its MSRP, it doesn’t rise to the heights of some of the other standout ryes this year (See Jack Daniel’s Barrel Proof and Bonded expressions). The main reason for this is that it drinks a bit hotter than you’d expect from a rye aged upwards of 10 years. While many other ryes get sweeter and more delicate with time, it seems as though the unique aging of this product has made it go the other direction and Old Overholt 10 year rye can almost come off as too hot. The rye spice is powerful here, and with the combination of all that spice and the cask strength ABV, this isn’t for the faint of heart. Its complex and lingering finish is the standout part for me, with a subtle balance of baking spices and sweetness balancing the heat from the palate. I love that Jim Beam released this – and at its $99 MSRP, provides a worthy alternative to other very expensive cask strength 10 year rye products on the market.