Experimental Whisky: Jefferson's 10 Year Rye/Hazelburn 12 Year Blend

In the vein of High West's Campfire whiskey, a blend of bourbon, rye, and single malt whisky, I tossed together a Canadian 100% rye with a heavily sherried triple-distilled single malt. Let's see how this goes.

1:1 Jefferson's 10 Year Rye/Hazelburn 12 Year Blend

Nose: contains elements of both the rye and the single malt in reasonably good balance - dusty rye grain, moderate sherry, hints of salted caramel, malt, a fair bit of alcoholic heat. After adding a few drops of water, there are more barrel notes (which become richer over time) - creamy vanilla, oak, and caramel - both the sherry and rye retreat, while some vegetal notes pop out

Taste: flat up front, expanding into the Hazelburn's sherry, then fading through rye grain and spice. After dilution it becomes sweeter and more integrated - the rye comes forward while the sherry extends further back - while the agriculture notes of malt and rye grain become more prominent, alongside dry pepper.

Finish: sherry, rye grain, moderate oak, rather dry

Not sure if this one suffered because it was constructed from the dregs of both bottles, but it didn't have the pop that I was looking for. I think the combination of rye and sherried whisky offers a lot of promise, so I'll keep experimenting with them.