The story of Rieger (aka J. Rieger) is the story of Kansas City whiskey, a distinct style that got started way back in 1887, was lost during Prohibition, and was relaunched in 2014 by KC bartender Ryan Maybee and Andy Rieger, great-great-grandson of the original Rieger clan.
What made Kansas City whiskey special was the addition of a curious extra ingredient to the spirit: oloroso sherry, which is added in small amounts to all of Rieger’s whiskeys. (The distillery also makes vodka, gin, and a coffee amaro which we’ve previously reviewed.)
The core Rieger whiskey offerings include three whiskeys, a bourbon, a rye, and a blended whiskey billed only as Kansas City whiskey. These whiskeys are all made with a sweet mash technique and include both pot and column distillate, and are aged 4 to 5 years in barrel before bottling — and all include a small amount of oloroso from the Williams & Humbert Bodega in Jerez. What mashbill information we have on each appears below.
We dive in to all three of these whiskeys with tasting notes forthwith.
Rieger Kansas City Whiskey Review
A blend of straight bourbon whiskey, light corn whiskey, and straight rye whiskey, all aged at least four years. The sherry hits the nose right away, very dry and quite perky, with the gentle astringency of the classic fortified wine aromatically dominant. The underlying spirit takes its time to reveal itself, showing off notes of maple, toasted cereal grains, and a hint of soy sauce — rather youthful but also exotic. The palate remains a rather savory experience, driven by an ample, grassy, dry sherry character, undercut with mushroom, sesame oil, and more soy. The whiskey rumbles along with a lightly vegetal character, though its quite thin body keeps lighter fruit notes of dried apple chips and some lemon zest in the conversation. Mild on the finish, with a mushroom reprise clinging to the back of the palate. 92 proof. B / $42 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Rieger Straight Bourbon Review
As with the Kansas City Whiskey, this is an incredibly soft bourbon that tempers its top aromatic notes of toasted corn, vanilla, and coconut with the lightest hint of sherry, adding a slightly oxidized note layering above it all. This winey quality is nicely complementary and, it turns out, slightly savory as it develops in glass, perking up aromas of roasted mushrooms and a grassy soy-like note. The palate continues this theme unabated, with toasted corn rolled in honey and caramel run through a tempering of sherried mushrooms. It’s amazing how a small dosing of sherry can keep the palate so light and ephemeral, running through a gauntlet of dried florals and perfume, finishing on a gentle cherry note. This is easy-drinking stuff, perhaps too much so. 90 proof. B+ / $36 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Rieger Straight Rye Review
96% rye in the mash. It turns out the natural spice of the rye grain is a natural companion for the Kansas City style, as the grassy aromas complement the herbaceous notes in the sherry quite well. The result is quite herbal, though it’s underlaid with bright apple notes. On the palate, sherry is again prominent but balanced by some bold herb notes, featuring thyme, rosemary, and black pepper. The whiskey does present as a bit youthful, but there’s plenty of complexity to keep things interesting — particularly as the creamy yet racy finish emerges. Probably the most traditional/familiar of these three styles. 90 proof. B+ / $53 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
The post Review: Rieger Kansas City Whiskey, Bourbon, and Rye appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.
