Castle & Key's rye whiskey comes from the same restored Old Taylor distillery as the bourbon — estate-distilled, with no sourced stock. The rye mash bill and production details reflect the distillery's commitment to building its own identity rather than relying on established recipes from other producers.
The rye is young and shows it, but the spirit quality is promising. The clean rye character — peppery, citrusy, with an herbal freshness — suggests careful production and good raw materials. The castle setting and the Taylor legacy add romance, but it is the liquid that will ultimately determine Castle & Key's reputation.
Castle & Key Rye is a respectable early release from a distillery with enormous potential. The youth is evident but not problematic, and the spirit quality points toward excellent rye as the stocks mature. The restoration of one of Kentucky's most historic distilleries deserves to be matched by the quality of its whiskey, and on this early evidence, it will be.
