BLACKENED x Willett Masters of Whiskey Series Straight Rye Whiskey

BLACKENED x Willett Masters of Whiskey Series Straight Rye Whiskey opened the Masters of Whiskey series in 2021, and the whiskey was distilled at Willett. Rob Dietrich and Willett’s Drew Kulsveen selected high-rye and low-rye barrels from the family estate, averaging 6.5 years and reaching 8, married them, and finished the rye whiskey for up to 14 weeks in Madeira casks. Madeira is a fortified wine heated during its own aging, so the cask adds dark fruit, honey, and caramel beside the rye spice. The finishing barrels are vibrated with Black Noise, low-frequency sound from a Metallica playlist. Reviews that print a proof, including Breaking Bourbon and Distiller, say 109.6. This listing’s 107.9 figure also appears at a retailer that says the strength can vary, so no single proof is set here.

Breaking Bourbon’s glass at 109.6 proof is red raspberry, strawberry, and mint over charred oak, then brown sugar and strawberry-rhubarb with a hint of grape, finishing on rhubarb, fig, plum, charred oak, and spice. The brand’s note is rhubarb, brown sugar, and vanilla, then buttery caramel, mint, and fresh-cut hay, with cinnamon and dark walnut lasting. The Daily Pour called the body rich, with orange peel, honey, toffee, and cinnamon, and a long wine-forward finish of pepper, oak, and tobacco. More than one tasting describes the mouthfeel as oily or creamy.