Old Overholt Bonded Rye Whiskey Review
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B-
(Credit: Richard Thomas)
Although the Rye Craze, with its attendant shortages of even that bargain shelf classic Old Overholt, may be several years in the past, the Rye Revival is still ongoing. That revival has brought a moribund class of American Whiskey back to life, and in so doing breathed life into extinct styles, such as the Pennsylvania no corn, very high rye approach to making whiskey.
One classic brand from the pre-Prohibition era and rye whiskey’s heyday was the aforementioned Old Overholt, which nowadays is a bottom shelf rye made by Jim Beam. It’s a very different creature in this incarnation, being a “barely rye” whiskey, made with, in the Kentucky style, what is suspected to be a rye content lower 50s.
As David Wondrich argued in The Daily Beast a year and a half ago, Beam could have been doing more with Old Overholt as a brand that it was. The mixology-driven Rye Craze prompted them to introduce Knob Creek Rye and then revamp Jim Beam Rye into new, stronger expression. All the while, Old Overholt soldiered on with just the one expression. While it was loved for its very affordable price tag, it was also nothing special, not even the benchmark among Kentucky rye whiskeys.
Beam has finally addressed that oversight with the introduction of Old Overholt Bonded. Meeting the minimum requirements for a bottled in bond whiskey, it’s a four year old, 100 proof version of the Beam style rye whiskey.
The Rye
In the glass, Old Overholt Bonded has a light copper look. It left a viscous coating on my glass, one that formed a beaded crown and took its time in dropping a few tears.
The nose smacked of toasted nuts, citrus and mint syrup and cedar. As scents go, it was very straight forward, being neither bold or subtle, while offering enough variety to make things a little interesting.
My taste buds found it more restrained than my nose, but still not light or faint. The flavors were roasted sweet corn, spearmint and oak. The finish brought the nuttiness back up, which turned over into peppermint, and then back to nuts for the final fading away.
Upping the age and the proof has improved Old Overholt, but not dramatically. It’s very much in tandem with all the numbers concerned.
The Price
A fifth of Old Overholt Bonded goes for $24.99. Given that rye whiskeys tend to run a bit more expensive than comparable bourbons, that is a very fair price.
It’s actually available at present only in a 1-liter bottle, making that price point even more attractive. I found the bonded to be a significant improvement over the 3 year, 80 proof version.
Binny’s, Ace and some others have Bonded in the 750 ml size, listed at between $23 and $25. Great pricing at either size, though.
Just bought a bottle the other day. I am a rye fan and prefer the small Pennsylvania distillers true ryes, like Dad’s Hat, Wigle and Liberty Pole. This new 100 proof Overholt very acceptable. I’d give it a straight “B”.