Pursuit United Sherry Finished Rye Review

Pursuit United
Blended Straight Rye Whiskeys
Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak
Cecil + Coleman
108 Proof
Batch 11CC
MSRP: ~$75
Review

Please enjoy our Pursuit United Sherry Finished Rye review!

Pursuit United Rye Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak is one of the first two whiskeys of Pursuit Spirits new Oak Collection. It begins with the standard Pursuit United Rye mash bill, which is aged and then finished utilizing oak compliments from Innerstave. So, what’s it like? Read on to find out!

The Pursuit United Story

Pursuit United is the brand developed by Ryan Cecil and Kenny Coleman, creators of the Bourbon Pursuit podcast. I am a big fan of the podcast, and a regular listener, although that in no way affects my review. I purchased this bottle myself, so am viewing it from the eyes of a consumer, just like you.

Ryan and Kenny even started a second podcast about their journey. On it, they discuss everything that has gone into building their brand and their business, and the issues they have encountered. The podcast is aptly named “Behind The Pursuit: From Bourbon To Brand”. Thanks to all of the discussions on their two podcasts, there is relatively unheard of transparency behind Pursuit Spirits.

The Pursuit United Oak Collection

Pursuit United Bourbon Finished with Toasted American and French Oak and Pursuit United Rye Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak are the inaugural releases in their new Oak Collection. These are finished whiskeys which use a technique common in the wine industry, and starting to catch on in the whiskey industry. Rather than putting the whiskey in second barrels for finishing, they put the wood in the whiskey. That’s thanks to a company called Innerstave. This allows them much greater flexibility and control, and gives them virtually limitless finishing options to choose from. Ryan and Kenny have gone into detail about this process on both of their podcasts. It is not dissimilar to what Maker’s Mark does with added staves in their Wood Finishing Series releases.

The Mash Bill – Pursuit United Sherry Finished Rye

The Pursuit United Rye Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak begins with their current rye mash bill which uses three different mash bills from two different states:

Sagamore Spirit (Maryland)
A: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
B: 52% Rye, 43% Corn, 5% Malted Barley

Bardstown Bourbon Company (Kentucky)
95% Rye
5% Malted Barley

The French Oak Sherry Finished rye is then finished using Sherry French Revere Oak cubes from Innerstave. Revere Oak is a French Oak seasoned for at least 36 months in Sonoma, CA. Using a fiber infusion technology discussed on Bourbon Pursuit Episode 385, Innerstave can replicate the characteristics of an aged sherry barrel.

Tasting Notes

Let’s taste it:

Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

Nose: Fairly sweet with brown sugar, cloves & other rye spices; spearmint; vanilla; subtle citrus like tart orange peel; some burnt caramel in the back and a bit of dark cherry and purple grape juice; moderate alcohol
Taste: Brown sugar, oak & some char, rye spices, subtle dark stone fruits
Finish: Fairly pronounced white pepper spice grows and lasts to the end, but some sweetness hangs on as well; subtle sherry overtones; dryness and barrel char are more apparent later on; there’s some cooling from the mint as well; long finish with a moderate burn.

This is a complex, flavorful rye. The sherry finish is quite subtle, but some dark fruit and sherry overtones are noticeable throughout. The French oak is likely adding a bit of additional spice as well. All the flavors do blend very nicely together to give a pleasant combination of spice, sweetness, citrus and dark fruits

Pursuit United Sherry Finished Rye vs. Unfinished Rye

When comparing Pursuit United Rye Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak to their unfinished rye, there are certainly many similarities which demonstrate the subtlety of the finish. The finish mellows some of the sharper rye flavors a bit, and of course brings with it some dark fruit. The burnt caramel is also more noticeable in the Sherry Finished Rye, especially when the two ryes are tasted side by side.

Conclusion

My personal feeling is that the sweeter finishes, like sherry, compliment ryes more than they do bourbons. Especially, since this finish is fairly subtle, that is definitely true here. I am a big fan of the original Pursuit United Rye, but there is a chance I may actually prefer the finished version. Have you tried either? What did you think?

We hope you have enjoyed our Pursuit United Sherry Finished Rye review! If you are interested in learning more about the unfinished rye, then check out our Pursuit United Rye Review!

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