Silverthorn Reserve 10-Year Port-Finished Rye: Worth $100?

Silverthorn Reserve’s 10-year Port-finished rye delivers a big pepper punch at 100 proof, with toasted oak and sweetness rounding out the sip. We enjoyed the flavor, but the $100 price stretches the value for us. This Whiskey on the Fly tasting, our quick bottle-review format, left us liking the rye more than its asking price.

At a glance

• Age: 10 years
• Proof: 100
• Finish: Tawny Port
• Release: Limited small batch, six barrels
• Price: $100
• Tom’s rating: Blue on our scale
• Steve’s rating: Solid blue on our scale

Four rye whiskies in the blend

This straight rye whiskey is Silverthorn’s Blender’s Art Rye. Rather than a single rye component, the blend brings together four whiskies:

• 13-year high-rye whiskey
• 10-year high-rye whiskey
• 10-year low-rye whiskey
• 10-year high-rye double-oaked whiskey

That’s a lot of rye packed into one bottle. We think the lower-rye component adds sweetness and helps round out the blend.

Nose: Cinnamon, pepper, and honey

Cinnamon and rye grain lead the nose, followed by oak and black pepper. We also picked up orange peel, vanilla, and a honey sweetness.

The pepper really jumps out. It gives the nose a sharp, spicy edge, strong enough that it almost made one of us sneeze. The sweeter notes are there, but the spice gets your attention first.

Palate: A pepper punch with toasted oak

The first sip brings big rye spice and plenty of pepper. We both thought it drank above its 100 proof.

The oak from the nose turns into a toasted, charred-oak flavor on the palate. Baking spice follows, with a little caramel sweetness underneath.

There’s also a honeyed grain note that reminded us of sweetened wheat. We think the Port finish adds a little sweetness toward the end of the sip. It gives the pepper and oak something softer to sit against.

Steve liked that this had flavor beyond a one-dimensional rye profile. Despite the strong pepper, Tom thought it could suit someone who wants rye character without a full-on spice bomb.

Finish: Sweetness, lingering spice, and tobacco

We found a little sweetness on the finish, with rye spice hanging around at the back. A tobacco-like note showed up, too.

We differed on how satisfying that finish was. Steve found it long, while Tom wanted more from it. For Tom, the palate was stronger than the nose, and the finish didn’t quite deliver.

The $100 price is our sticking point

We loved the other 10-year Silverthorn release and the Silverthorn Reserve 13-Year Bourbon, so expectations were high. Tom also remembered enjoying this rye more on an earlier pour.

Ten years of age and a small-batch release help explain the asking price. Still, Tom needs the flavor to justify the cost, and this bottle didn’t quite get there for him. It’s an enjoyable rye, but $100 is a tough sell.