Four Gate Ruby Rye Springs Review

For the most part, Four Gate knocks it out of the park with their releases and this Four Gate Ruby Rye Springs is no exception. While they do some fun and exciting/interesting things with their sourced whiskey, the key to the success of these releases is really the core. The sourced whiskey they start with is really, really, good.

The rye they start with is the 7-year-old MGP rye used in the Four Gate Batch 7 “River Kelvin Rye” release and then they finish it in different barrels. The first finish release was the Batch 10 “Split Stave”, this Ruby Rye Springs is the second and it uses some unusual casks.

Virago Spirits (Richmond, VA) originally imported the ruby port casks from Portugal to age rum in. Once they were done with the casks, they were shipped to Four Gate who filled them with 7 yo MGP rye and let the flavors of rye, ruby port and rum marry together for 42 days before bottling. Heck of a process to get this whisky into your glass.

Four Gate Ruby Rye Springs – Details and Tasting Notes

Whiskey Details

Region: Kentucky, USA

Distiller: MGP
Mash Bill: 95% Rye, % Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak, ex-Ruby Port-Rum cask
Age: 7 Years
ABV: 56.7

Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

Batch: 11

Price: $185*

Tasting Notes

EYE
Ruby caramel

NOSE
Juicy rye spice, oak, grapey sweetness, dried dark fruit, char, touch soap and slight anise and herbal notes. Not a super complex aroma, but it is heavy and brooding in a way that gives a nice perspective to traditional MGP rye.

PALATE
Heavy rye spice, grapey sweet, oak, raspberry syrup, toffee and some herbal notes. Reminds me of a juicy IPA with the combination of the dry spice, slight herbal and juicy fruity sweetness.

FINISH
Long -> Rye spice, oak, juicy sweetness fade out to a tannic dryness that somehow works…  Four Gate Ruby Rye Springs you’re odd and I like that.

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Decent balance, full body and a warm oily feel.

Four Gate Ruby Rye Springs Review – Overall Thoughts and Score

This is super interesting. Spice driven with a slightly more subtle oak than the regular release though with a noticeable, added, juicy sweetness. Like fruity and grain and dessert sweetness all combined in a way that almost works. I say almost because it doesn’t feel fully cohesive, like something is a hair off, and I think what’s missing is time.

Don’t get me wrong, this is tasty and surprisingly easy to drink at full cask strength. And with some water it gets a bit more diverse in its delivery with added notes of red licorice (good all-natural kind) and high-quality candy sweet notes on the aroma and more juicy fruit and citrus peels on the palate. But… I think they could have pushed it more.

Four Gate Ruby Rye Springs Review is good, there’s no doubt about that, but it’s not as good as the unfinished product. It’s just shy of cohesive and the finish ends up being less additive, and more detractive, from the original spirit.

SCORE: 3.5/5

*Disclosure: The sample for this whiskey review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.

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