Dancing Goat Limousin Rye Whiskey Review

By April Manning

Rating: B-

“When it comes to whiskey, go slow. It has to be smooth, and it has to be good” – Duane H. Maas

So, who is this sage? Duane Maas is a noteworthy distiller of the 20^th century, and his legacy (or his hangover, if you will) includes developing distilleries in eight countries. Not a small feat. Following in his footsteps is his grandson, Nick Brady Maas, master distiller and co-owner of Dancing Goat Distillery.

Dancing Goat Distillery, located in Cambridge, Wisconsin, was created by a group of family and friends November 2017. They are dedicated to maintaining their “True to the Goat” form by analyzing past experiences and exploring modern technology. Their first release is Limousin Rye.

Limousin Rye is aged by using unique barreling techniques with three different types of used and new oak. Used rye barrels convey less of the oak flavor and bitter tannins, due to being depleted in their first use. However, they still exploit the flavor obtained from new charred oak barrels. Finally, French Limousin oak barrels, originating from forests in western region of France, are used for their custom-built Solera finishing system. A solera, typically used in making Sherry but finding its way into whiskey-making, is also known as fractional aging and consists of aging in staged casks, transferring the liquid from one stage to another.

Due to the fact that they are using vintage barrels this is officially a whiskey that is produced from a rye mash. The mash bill is stated to be 100% rye and the whiskey proof varies. This is because Dancing Goat wishes to have each batch of whiskey “express itself” rather than adding water to proof consistently.

The batch reviewed is D14 which is 90 proof (45% ABV).

The Whiskey
Limousin Rye Whiskey was a revelation to my palate. Due to the aging statement of a minimum of 3 years, I had already formed the biased opinion that it would be like other immature spirits trying to break out of their barrels before their time. This seemed confirmed with Limousin Rye’s soft golden appearance. However, it gave off the typical aromas of whiskey such as vanilla and caramel along with the citrus scent of ryes.

Then when experiencing the essence of this rye whiskey I realized there was not the typical burn of other ryes. Instead the bite retreats quickly giving way to vanilla and butterscotch notes and ending warmly. Because it is not overbearing, Limousin pairs well in making cocktails or is perfect for greenhorns to sip neat.

The Price
Dancing Goat’s Limousin Rye fetches $50.