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Rare Saint is a line of whiskies recently brought to market by Huse Culinary. If you live in Indiana, this name might sound familiar – they’re the group behind landmark restaurants such as St. Elmo Steak House, Harry & Izzy’s, 1933 Lounge and HC Tavern & Kitchen. I previously covered the ins-and-outs of the brand last month in this review.
The core Rare Saint whiskey lineup was designed to be more than just a foundation for the restaurant chain’s many signature cocktails; they were also made to be sipped neat or on ice. Whereas the St. Elmo brand of ready-to-mix whiskey bases used a base spirit with minimal aging, all Rare Saint labels have been aged at least for five years.
The packaging is unique, but takes some design cues from other attractive offerings around the industry. The shoulders are low and flat like a bottle of Blue Run. There is raised lettering on the back similar to the Joseph Magnus coat of arms. The neck extends into a flat brim much like a bottle of Legent which makes for an easy pour with minimal dripping. Even the topper is wide and easy to grip for hassle-free removal like a bottle of 1792. You can tell there was some thought behind each feature.
But how is the Rye Whiskey inside?
St. Elmo Steak House is primarily known for serving a cocktail called the “Elmo Cola.” This sweet drink is made from bourbon infused with cherries and vanilla and mixed with cola. But for guests that don’t want such a sweet drink, there is another popular alternative that provides more of a spicy kick – their signature Manhattan. This is St. Elmo’s second most popular whiskey cocktail and has traditionally been made with Knob Creek Rye Whiskey.
Huse Culinary could not privately source that same style of rye whiskey, but they found an alternative from the same place they were sourcing their bourbon from – and if you know your large distilleries in Indiana, you probably know who I’m talking about. The 95/5 rye whiskey that was chosen is a big departure from the “barely legal” recipe found in Knob Creek. For starters, there is no corn in the mash bill. Some would argue that the corn adds caramel sweetness and reduces youthful notes if the rye whiskey is young. I haven’t found that to be the case with the Indiana-style 95/5 rye. There’s something about their distilling process and the yeast they use that creates beautiful brown sugar notes along with gingerbread and pine needles. I think any Manhattan would benefit from notes like that and Huse’s team must have as well.
The bottle I’m reviewing today wears a “Private Barrel” label around its neck and has a unique barrel identifier (this one says R2 on it). It’s bottled at 110 proof which seems somewhat close to barrel proof. So how is it? Let’s find out. I sampled this neat in a glencairn.
Tasting Notes
Nose: For context, I had just poured a glass of 115-proof Knob Creek Single Barrel Rye before I tried this bottle. The differences are striking. I found the Knob Creek to have a more muted, caramel-forward nose whereas Rare Saint leans heavily into the green (mint?), herbaceous side of rye whiskey. There were plenty of fresh citrus notes and pine needles accompanied with a bit of cinnamon and anise. A small amount of stone fruit peeks out. I find the nose to be sweet, but not in the heavy, caramel-laden sense. It’s more like how a pie smells sweet.
Palate: A sprig of mint and some candied citrus peel are the first flavors I find in my glass. For 110 proof, this is remarkably restrained. I wouldn’t have guessed it was over 100. Barrel influence isn’t as much as it could be, but this rye whiskey doesn’t come off as too young on the tongue. Rather than being peppery like the Knob Creek, I find this bottle concentrates more on botanical and herbal notes. The herbal notes on the tongue give way to a still-developing sweetness (which is a lot like light brown sugar) while vanilla and cinnamon provide depth.
Finish: The finish ends with well-rounded notes of ground cinnamon, allspice and clove while still keeping the fresh herbal/minty flavors alive. It also rides out on the perfect amount of lingering sweetness. The citrus notes and vanilla are the last to leave. Everything lasts a moderate amount of time.
Score: 7.3/10
It’s been a little while since I reviewed a classic 95/5 Indiana rye whiskey because everybody seems to be using copycat recipes from Kentucky these days. But sipping on this bottle of Rare Saint at this proof was a sublime experience. In fact, I continued to sip on this bottle for multiple nights in a row, a rarity for me seeing as how I’ve got a lot of whiskey on my shelf waiting to be reviewed. There is something that is so satisfying about having a bottle where you know you can expect flavor, balance and a proofy-punch in every sip.
The only reason why this bottle wasn’t given a higher rating is because I felt like it still had more to give if it had been allowed to age longer. Everything was on the right path, but this is a choice most producers face when deciding their intended audience and sale price.
Final Thoughts
Rare Saint Rye Whiskey is a great contender in the category for high-proof bottles around the $50 price point. It delivers a sip with lots of punch and has all of the classic high-rye notes without any of the youthful ones. The packaging is sure to stick out on a shelf at your home bar – if the bottle even lasts that long on your shelf. It’s eminently sippable and, yes, even makes a mean Manhattan. It’s a bottle I plan to always have on hand.