Review: Stoll & Wolfe Rosen Rye Whiskey Single Barrel 4 Years Old
Review: Stoll & Wolfe Rosen Rye Whiskey Single Barrel 4 Years Old
Pennsylvania’s Stoll & Wolfe Distillery was founded in 2016 by Erik and Avianna Wolfe, who partnered with former Michter’s (Pennsylvania-based) Master Distiller Dick Stoll to get operations off the ground. One of their earliest production fascinations was Rosen rye, a grain type developed over 100 years ago but eventually lost due to cross-contamination with other varietals.
That particular rye was “resurrected” around 2015 in in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster region, with just five ounces planted by the Delaware Valley Fields Foundation and Penn State’s Agricultural Extension. By 2019, Stoll & Wolfe was able to get their hands on enough harvested Rosen rye to begin distilling it. (Sadly, Stoll passed before the first release could come to market.)
Among other techniques, Stoll & Wolfe also highlights the use of open cypress tank fermentation as a core part of their distilling process.
We’ve covered this whiskey at two steps of its development previously. And today, we’re looking at a four year old, single barrel Rosen rye, bottled at 106.5 proof. Just 220 bottles will be released for sale in Pennsylvania and via ecommerce. Let’s dive in!
Stoll & Wolfe Rosen Rye Whiskey Single Barrel 4 Years Old Review
The nose kicks off with pronounced rye spice: dried cinnamon sticks, allspice, and baked clove chief among the aromas. That spice builds with time in the glass and also takes on a nearly effervescent quality, with scents wafting up as if carried by popping carbonation bubbles. Things finally calm down a bit around minute five, revealing sweeter notes of gingersnap cookies, fresh-baked dinner rolls, and pineapple glaze.
Compared to the nose, the first sip is much (much!) calmer, imparting a lot of dried fruit (red apple, apricot, date, and once again pineapple) plus diluted honey syrup. Just before the midpalate, there’s a quick transition to honey-sweetened black tea. Overall, the palate is a noteworthy transition from spicy on the nose to sweet on the tongue. Oaky astringency builds slightly toward the back palate, alongside freshly expressed mint and spearmint gum. The final act is long, leaning further into black tea, sweet johnnycakes, and a little residual spice via white pepper.
Overall, this four year release from Stoll & Wolfe feels like a rye that’s well on its way to becoming something both balanced and unique. My impression is it just needs a little more time to smooth out some rough edges.
106.5 proof.
B+ / $120
Stoll & Wolfe Rosen Rye Whiskey Single Barrel 4 Years Old
USD120
