Leopold Bros. Maryland-Style Rye Whiskey Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B

Until the whiskey crash of the 1970s dealt a near death blow to what was by then a declining category, rye whiskey used to have three regional styles. On one end of the spectrum was the sweet Kentucky Rye, with it’s mash bill that just barely met Federal requirements (usually 51 to 54% rye). On the other was the bold and spicy Pennsylvania Rye, made mostly with rye and malted rye, some malted barley, and never any corn.

In between is Maryland styles, an approach that could be said to take the typical bourbon mash bill and flips it, with the corn and rye trading placed. The rye content is in the 60 or 70 percentiles, with the corn there as a flavoring grain and just enough malted barley to convert the grain starches to sugar for fermentation.

Maryland Rye disappeared after the 1980s, and the oddest twist about the category is that it was revived not in The Old Line State, but in Colorado, when Leopold Bros. introduced their own Maryland style rye whiskey in 2011.

The Whiskey
Leopold Bros. Maryland Style Rye is made with a 65% rye mash bill, the rest being corn and malted barley. Although this is a no age statement whiskey, it is known to be aged for about four years before bottling at 86 proof. It’s also a single barrel, although it isn’t specifically declared as such, but every bottle declares what barrel it came from. My sample came from Barrel 158.

In the glass, the whiskey has a dull gold color. A swish leaves a coating with a thick crown and a curtain of weighty tears. The nose opens with blackberry jam smeared on dark rye bread, with a touch of molasses added for good measure. The scent is a bit musty at first, but that fades away with time spent in the open air.

The flavor isn’t too far removed from those aromas: dark berry fruit with a daub of molasses and a dash of hot cinnamon. From there, the whiskey concludes with lingering blackberries and currant on the tongue, and plenty of warmth.

The Price
Prices on this item vary quite a bit between retailers, with a range of $50 to $62.