Templeton 10 yr Single Barrel Rye Whiskey 750ml

Templeton Rye traces its name back to Prohibition-era Iowa, where it was reportedly a personal favorite of Al Capone, who called it simply "the good stuff." Keith Kerkhoff, grandson of one of the original bootleggers, revived the brand in 2006, and the company later invested in a $35 million distillery of its own, though its current lineup, including this release, is still distilled at MGP in Indiana and proofed down with Iowa water.

This expression comes from a mash bill of 95 percent rye and 5 percent malted barley, aged a full ten years in charred new American oak. It's bottled as a true single barrel release, meaning each numbered bottle reflects the character of one individual cask rather than a blended batch, and it comes in at 104 proof, giving it more weight than Templeton's younger, lower-proof offerings.

The nose brings rich chocolate and vanilla together with toasted oak, green apple, and apricot, along with the baking spice and gentle dill notes that mark many MGP-distilled ryes. On the palate, honeyed floral notes meet the whiskey's signature rye spice over a silky, creamy caramel body. The finish is clean and long-lasting, closing on a persistent note of butterscotch that lingers well after the last sip.