
Castle & Key Distillery is open Thursday-Saturday 10:30am-5:00pm and Sunday 12:00pm-5:00pm.
Each batch of our Restoration Rye Whiskey is blended using a series of pods. Each pod is created by grouping barrels to create a specific sensory profile.
Mashbill
17% Yellow Corn
63% Rye
20% Malted Barley
2022 Batch 2
Aroma
Stone Fruit, Almond, Pumpernickel, Honey, Toffee, Leather, Toasted Oak
Taste
Light Brown Sugar, Soft Cinnamon, Marshmallow, Rosemary, Black Tea
Finish
Tobacco, Toast, Dark Chocolate
Size
60 barrels
Age
3
Proof
105 Alc/Vol - 52.5%
2022 Batch 1
Aroma
Spearmint, Graham Cracker Crust, Dried Cherries, Orange Peel, Cedar, Nutmeg, Dill
Taste
Caramel, Baked Apples, Cinnamon, Clove, Lemon Zest
Finish
Sweet with Heavy Spice
Size
60 barrels
Age
3
Proof
113 Alc/Vol - 56.5%
2021 Batch 3
Aroma
Lemon Peel, Apricot, Toast, Floral
Taste
Honey, Lemon, Allspice, Stone Fruit
Finish
Juicy, Fruity, White Pepper
Size
70 barrels
Proof
105 Alc/Vol - 52.5%
2021 Batch 2
Aroma
Mint, Apple Pie, Nutmeg, Orange Peel
Taste
Brown Sugar, Baking Spice, Clove, Fig
Finish
Sweet with Heavy Spice
Size
75 barrels
Proof
104 Alc/Vol - 52%
2021 Batch 1
Aroma
Wildflower Honey, Light Stone Fruit, Rose, Bubble Gum, Cherry Pie, and Toasted Oak
Taste
Golden Raisin, Toast, Nutmeg, Turbinado Sugar, Ginger and Praline
Finish
Medium Bodied, Slightly Sweet, Shifting to a Dry Ginger Warmth
Size
80 Barrels
Proof
101 Alc/Vol - 50.5%
2020 Batch 2
Aroma
Bright, Lemon Peel, Toasted Oak, Apricot, Wild Flower, Honey, Graham Cracker
Taste
Pie Crust, Honeysuckle, Mint, Agave Nectar, Dry Cinnamon, Light Stone Fruit
Finish
Cooling, Spearmint with light mouth numbing
Size
57 Barrels
Proof
99 Alc/Vol - 49.5%
2020 Batch 1
Aroma
Brown Sugar, Cinnamon Toast, Dried Figs, Pipe Tobacco, Baking Chocolate, Orange Peel
Taste
Sweet Baking Spice, Cinnamon Roll, Caramelized Sugar, Dried Currants, Lightly Roasted Almonds and a Hint of Black Licorice.
Finish
Sweet with light hints of maple syrup and dark honey
Size
60 Barrels
Proof
103 Alc/Vol - 51.5%
Pod B
Aroma: Soft sweetness, light citrus peel, nutty stone fruit, generally bright
Taste: Decent balance, light sweetness on the front, slightly over assertive, light chocolate on back/finish black pepper
Overall: Repressed chocolate, mildly overaggressive black pepper, round body, good base
Pod G
Aroma: Soft, light sweetness, peanut brittle, light chocolate, pleasant mineral
Taste: Medium body, good balance, brown sugar, peanuts, light citrus peel, light → chocolate/malt light → spice box, medium finish
Overall: Strong component; good balance, rich palate, slightly light on the nose
Pod I
Aroma: Sweet cream, mineral, papaya, cinnamon, wood, floral, lemon peel
Taste: Medium browned butter, spearmint, toasty, raw cinnamon, light → medium body, slightly drying
Overall: Good nose and overall body, slightly drying on finish but decent balance
Pod K
Aroma: Mallow, chocolate, wintergreen/spearmint, dark fruit, light citrus peel (lemon)
Taste: Sweet brown sugar, building spice box, clove, nutmeg, dried chocolate, prune, light spearmint, rich mouthfeel, medium finish
Overall: Similar to Pod J; complex, rich body with plenty of dark fruit and chocolate, lemon zest, and cinnamon notes; build balance, overall great small group blend
Pod O
Aroma: Bright brown sugar, apricot pit, light spearmint, light spice, black pepper, and cinnamon
Taste: Medium sweetness, medium stone fruit, cranberry, pipe tobacco, medium rock, mineral char, medium baked cinnamon
Overall: Great big fruit on palate, good balance, interesting mineral note on back palate reminds me of older dusty whiskey bottlings, good medium finish
Pod Q
Aroma: Amazing nose, big chocolate, dried dark and stone fruit, medium cinnamon
Taste: Malted milk balls, dried fruits, light spearmint, cinnamon frosting, great overall balance, good mouthfeel
Overall: Unique and wonderful nose, tons of rich flavors all being distinct, yet still integrating extremely well
Pod R
Aroma: Soft, bright spearmint, floral, stone fruit, light clove
Taste: Chocolate malt, mineral, fresh hay, building cinnamon, peach, green apple skin, light floral, good balance, round
Overall: Great balance, easy classic rye profile, great grain flavors, light stone fruit, a good contributing component
Pod AA
Aroma: Light, incense woody, floral, medium sweetness, light citrus peel, stone fruit, black pepper, clove
Taste: Super approachable, medium sweetness, dough, clove, cinnamon building, light citrus peel (orange), dried orange, and almond
Overall: Well balanced, slightly dry on the finish; good overall balance, medium spice structure, good base component
Pod HH
Aroma: Papaya, pie crust, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, light leather
Taste: Medium sweetness, raw cinnamon, nutmeg, medium mineral, malted milk balls, light papaya, lemon peel, honey, apricot
Overall: More extreme version of GG.1; good balance and mouthfeel, nice mineral, chocolate, smokey tone; has a grilled tropical fruit note
Pod II
Aroma: Light sweetness, peach cobbler, baked cinnamon, light rock mineral, dry cacao
Taste: Great front sweetness, round brown sugar, building cinnamon, and black pepper; back palate chocolate, light dried fruit
Overall: Good mouthfeel medium sweetness great nose good palate slight chocolate lesser version of Pod HH and Pod GG but could compound them in blend
Pod LL
Aroma: Apricot, butter cream, green apple, citrus peel, clove
Taste: Juicy, good stone fruit, medium butterscotch, transitions to cinnamon stick, slight creamy note, maple syrup
Overall: Average, decent fruit and balance, slight off note on finish, but will likely blend out
Pod MM
Aroma: Green apple, light spice box, light caramel, baked cinnamon, slight floral
Taste: Sweet cinnamon bun, light orange peel, brown sugar, black pepper, apricot pit/tropical fruits
Overall: Average, good mouthfeel and balance, limited depth and complexity, hopefully the fruit notes expand/stack with blending
Pod C
Aroma: Pie crust, light dried chocolate papaya, light cinnamon, orange peel
Taste: Rich mouthfeel, orris root, medium sweetness, flamed brown sugar, baked cinnamon, orange peel, balanced medium finish
Overall: Great, wonderful balance, strong depth, complex diverse flavors, nice chocolate, baked cinnamon, and floral combination; round/rich
Pod D
Aroma: Sweet cream, woody floral, papaya, baked cinnamon, pine, light citrus
Taste: Light sweetness, medium alcohol, grain, bright cinnamon, slight juniper, light citrus peel, burnt sugar, heat on back end, light dark fruit (fig)
Overall: Improvement over Pod D; watch for heat/intensity, dark fruit, burnt sugar, slightly unique will bolster depth on lighter components
Pod E
Aroma: Light nose, slight sweetness, lemon peel, slight baking spice
Taste: Nutty brown sugar, wood, floral, light mineral, baked cinnamon frosting, great overall balance
Overall: Great Structure and balance, wonderful spice box, good mouthfeel, strong overall foundation; good base direction for total blend
Pod J
Aroma: Sweet grain, light citrus, slight raw wood, fig newton
Taste: Cinnamon, toast, fig newton, slight butter cream, medium spice box, light citrus, great mouthfeel and finish, nice chocolate on back
Overall: Great, good balance, the fig newton/ dried dark fruit note is nice with good spice integration will be usual to boost dark fruit and chocolate
Pod U
Aroma: Brown sugar, lemon peel, light peach pit, baked cinnamon, pleasant
Taste: Medium front sweetness, brown sugar, light citrus, medium warming cinnamon, light pie crust; great overall balance, light chalk mineral, dark fruit
Overall: Strong overall base; great nose, good palate, decent complexity; will work well with other balanced components
Pod V
Aroma: Woodsy, floral, papaya and tropical fruit, baked cinnamon, brown sugar
Taste: Nice sweetness, brown sugar, black pepper, baked cinnamon, light tropical fruit, medium spice box, browned butter
Overall: Interesting nose, decent amount of tropical fruit, rich palate, good overall structure, rich spice structure
Pod CC
Aroma: Limited brown sugar, light orange peel, mineral light clove
Taste: Peanut, brown sugar, cloves, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, light tropical fruit, light wood tannin, medium body and finish, spearmint
Overall: Light nose, great palate, rich, good balance, nice spice box, light alcohol, good complexity, strong contributor
Pod EE
Aroma: Jammy, dried fruits, brown sugar, woody, floral, papaya, great nose
Taste: Brown sugar, building chocolate, spearmint, baked cinnamon, orange peel, good mouthfeel, medium finish
Overall: Great balance, nice, sweet camphor, spice combination less assertive than Pod DD
Pod FF
Aroma: Burnt sugars, brown sugar, candied orange peel, robust nose
Taste: Big brown sugar, baked cinnamon, dried figs, clove, spiked orange, good body, medium finish, slight spearmint, light chocolate, jammy mouthfeel
Overall: Takes awhile to open, blanched palate, nice, rich overall, good sweetness, and light chocolate; positive character contributor
Pod GG
Aroma: Juicy, dried stone fruit, light green apple, cinnamon, oatmeal, light lemon peel
Taste: Apricot preserves, cream, burnt brown sugar, sweet potato pie, light lemon peel, baked cinnamon, light chocolate, mineral
Overall: Great balance, super jammy, nice sweetness and body, good amount of stone fruit, light chocolate, wonderful profile, strong flavor diversity
Pod OO
Aroma: Flat, cream, light brown sugar, light, young raw wood, cinnamon building, bright fruit
Taste: Nice, cacao powder, floral, tulip bulb, peach pie, building allspice, and mineral
Overall: Average nose, needs a push to open up, but great palate with lots of cacao and stone fruit, nicely balanced with a warming allspice note on the finish
Pod PP
Aroma: Mallow, wood, floral, butter, dry brown sugar, biscuits (the cookies that come in the tin that your grandmother keeps her sewing supplies in)
Taste: Buttercream, brown sugar, earthy, cinnamon, medium spice box, light mineral, and dark fruit on the finish
Overall: A little funky with the cream and plain cookie combination, slightly young tannis, but pleasant dark fruit; overall interesting and could be a unique contributor, just not a foundational component