I've been saying for a while now that American craft rye is having its moment, and Catoctin Creek keeps giving me reasons to double down on that claim. Their Barrel Select Rye Madeira Finish takes what's already a solid foundation — a rye whiskey distilled from organic Virginia grain — and adds a secondary maturation in Madeira wine casks that pushes it into genuinely interesting territory. At 58.5% ABV, this is cask strength whiskey that doesn't apologise for itself, and I respect that.
Let's talk about what makes this bottling stand out. First, this is a barrel select expression, meaning someone at the distillery tasted through their stock and picked specific casks that showed something special after that Madeira finish. That selection process matters. You're not getting the average here — you're getting what they considered their best work from this particular programme. Second, the Madeira cask influence is a deliberate choice that signals ambition. Madeira is a fortified wine with a unique production process involving heat and oxidation, which means those casks carry a very different flavour profile compared to your standard sherry or port finishes. Think dried fruit complexity, a certain nuttiness, and a richness that pairs beautifully with the spice-forward character of rye grain.
Tasting Notes
At 58.5% ABV, this packs serious intensity straight from the bottle. For a whiskey at this proof, I'd recommend sitting with it for a few minutes in the glass before diving in. A few drops of water will open it up considerably and let you get past the alcohol heat to what's really going on underneath. The combination of rye's natural peppery bite with whatever the Madeira casks have contributed should make for a layered, rewarding pour — the kind of glass where you keep finding new things as it develops.
The Verdict
At £79.95 for a cask strength, barrel select, cask-finished rye whiskey, I think this represents fair value. You're paying for a whiskey that's been through a genuine selection process, finished in interesting wood, and bottled without dilution. Compare that to some of the Kentucky cask strength ryes hitting shelves at similar or higher prices with far less going on, and Catoctin Creek starts looking like a smart buy. The NAS designation doesn't bother me here — age statements matter less when the distiller is selecting for flavour rather than a number on the label, and the proof point tells me they were confident enough in these barrels to let them speak for themselves.
I'm giving this an 8 out of 10. It's a whiskey with a clear identity and genuine ambition. The Madeira finish isn't a gimmick — it's a thoughtful pairing with rye's grain character, and the cask strength bottling shows confidence in the product. This is craft distilling done with purpose, and it deserves attention from anyone who takes American rye seriously.
Best Served
Pour this neat in a Glencairn with a few drops of water to tame the proof. But honestly, where this whiskey could really shine is in a Manhattan. That Madeira-influenced sweetness and dried fruit character would work brilliantly with sweet vermouth — use a 2:1 ratio, a dash of Angostura, and let the rye's backbone carry the drink. The higher proof means it won't get lost behind the vermouth the way a 40% rye would. It's a cocktail-ready bottle that's equally happy being sipped slowly on its own.
