New in to us this month is a selection of Rebel Yell American whiskies, a brand that has a long and storied history as well as a slightly controversial name. Rebel Yell is named after a Confederate war cry used during the American Civil War and not the Billy Idol song; it's rumoured though that the song was written about the whiskey after Billy was introduced to it by Keith Richards, a well known lover of the brand. Rebel Yell was originally only sold in the American south, no doubt due to its inflammatory name, although in recent years has been distributed globally. Although the bottles state that the whiskey was 'established in 1849', that's not entirely accurate. Bourbon pioneer William Weller was the firs to use wheat as opposed to rye in his whiskey recipes in the middle of the 1800's and is credited with Rebel Yell's creation. The brand wasn't officially registered until 1936 when it started being produced by the Stitzel-Weller distillery in Louisville Kentucky alongside other famous bourbons like W.L. Weller, Old Fitgerald, Old Rip Van Winkle and Cabin Still. The distillery closed in the early 90's and most of these brands were bought by Buffalo Trace and Heaven Hill distilleries. Rebel Yell is now owned by the drinks giant Luxco and is bottled under contract at the Heaven Hill distillery. As a point of interest, the old Stitzel-Weller distillery was reopened and is now producing Bulleit whiskey.
Rebel Yell Straight Bourbon is made from a mash bill of wheat and corn and has a light caramel complexion that hints at its young age; the bottle contains no age statement but I have heard that the liquid is four years old. The nose displays vanilla, honey and corn with a slight hint of fruit, possibly orange peel and raisins. The palate exposes you to spice, raisins and charred caramel vanilla. The finish is short, peppery and sweet. Let's get this straight, this isn't a premium whiskey and the price tag reflects that. It can be sipped over ice if you like a lighter, rougher style of bourbon but I can mainly see this being drunk with a mixer, in a cocktail or as a shot. Maybe not one for when your whiskey snob friends come over but otherwise a decent, everyday bourbon that gives value for money at this price point of around £25.
The Rebel Yell Small Batch Reserve represents the top end of the bran's' range and is presumably an older version of the Rebel Yell Straight Bourbon bottled at a higher strength. This offering is a medium butterscotch colour and is soft and sweet on the nose with plenty of honey and a slight oakiness. The palate is honeyed caramel sweet with a lot less of the spice that was experienced with the entry level Straight Bourbon. There is also a pronounced notes of orange peel. The finish is short and sweet with some hints of oak; very pleasant indeed. This is a noticeable step up from the Straight Bourbon for just a few pounds more. It isn't complex but is enjoyable and can happily be drunk on the rocks and is a good whiskey to have to hand when friends drop by. A straightforward and pleasant bourbon.
This crowd pleasing rye whiskey is well balanced and smooth, perfect for making Old Fashion cocktails. There is spice and caramel on the nose accompanied by citrus and herbs. It's easy drinking with more spice than the nose would indicate along with notes of dill, caramel and vanilla. The finish carries these flavours through to a satisfying end culminates in dry wood. This is a nice rye whiskey and cheaper than many others out there at the moment. This is a reasonably young whiskey but when it comes to rye that certainly isn't a bad thing as there are some pretty tasty examples out there, with this being one of them. It isn't deep or complex, but a solid choice that people will love and enjoy.