Wise Man Maduro With Bulleit 95 Rye

Bulleit Rye was one of the first ryes I drank regularly, so when I saw this Bullet 95 12 Year Rye on the shelf last spring, I grabbed it without hesitation. I enjoyed a pour early on, but then overlooked the bottle for a many months.

The 95% rye mash bill is aged for a long 12 years and bottled at 92 proof. Bulleit 95 has a spicy, dough-like aroma, that's surprisingly on the lighter side. There are notes of cinnamon and vanilla as well. Sipping brings sweet notes of toffee, vanilla, and brown sugar. The alcohol presence is more noticeable than in the aroma. There's a pleasing warmth that does not burn or overwhelm the flavor. A nice rye spice, along with oak, lingers in the finish. This is an enjoyable sipper. I'm somewhat tempted to try it in a cocktail, perhaps a Rye Old Fashioned.

I paired the rye with a newly redesigned Wise Man Maduro from Foundation Cigars. This cigar has been resting in my humidor for about four months. I smoked one previously upon delivery and found it to be quite spicy. I was interested to see how some age would affect the blend.

This Wise Man Maduro vitola is a  6 x 52 Toro. The dark red, Mexican San Andrés wrapper is smoothly applied over two Nicaraguan binders — from the Nicaragua Estelí and Jalapa regions — with a mix of fillers from Estelí, Condega and Jalapa.

The flavor started out in the medium range, but processed to a full bodied smoke by the second half. Bountiful notes of spice, toasted nuts, earth, and sweet chocolate made for a flavorful experience. The spice had a cedar aspect for most of the smoke, which progressed into the black pepper realm towards the last third, which predominated the profile for the rest of the smoking time. Smoke production was copious and the burn even and consistent.

The Bulleit 95 12 Year Rye is an exceptional pour for the $60 price tag. The spicy sweetness of the rye matched well with the similar spice and sweet profile of the Foundation Wise Man Maduro. Despite a warm nub, the cigar was smoked to the very end. A few extra sips of the rye topped off the enjoyable smoke.

Cheers!