Review and Recipes: Uncle Nearest Rye + Nearest's Old Fashioned 1.0 and 2.0

Uncle Nearest's newest widespread release is mighty delicious. Here's a drink you can make that's even deliciouser.

Two truths and a cap I wear way too often. (Source: IG/edthesportsfan)

I don’t like most rye whiskeys.

To be clear, I like them in my cocktails and punches … but neat? Usually, I’ll pass.

Maybe my palette isn’t refined just yet. Maybe it just comes across as too harsh for me to decipher flavor profiles. Maybe it’s just not meant for me. Maybe I don’t know what I’m doing. (Most likely)

I can deal with some ryes, but they usually come with a steep price tag. Whistlepig’s ryes are the stuff of legend, and I can’t get enough…except I’m not all that inclined to drop the cost of a pair of Jordans for on the regular.

But this Uncle Nearest Rye? Man, it just works.

Review: Why Uncle Nearest 1884 Matters

My fondness for the brand has been made clear here, but I do my best to be objective. I like 1856 much more than 1884, as the lighter proof makes for a more pleasant sip, and I don’t have to labor through a dram. It works as an after-work sipper, a date night selection and blends well with basic and high-level cocktail making. It’s tailor-made to be a staple in your bar.

Today I’m dropping notes on my review of the spirit along with a cocktail (or two) worthy of the bottle’s name.

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Nose: It takes you back to your grandma’s spice rack with all the ingredients she’d use when baking. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and vanilla. It’s almost heavy in its aroma.

Palate: Have you ever had A&W Cream Soda? I get traces of that in the mouthfeel. Maybe some orange spice. Butter on raisin bread too.

Finish: I kept waiting for the 100 proof to well, 100 proof. Only in the very end did a slight burn kick in. When it happened, I picked up dark chocolate and more nutmeg.

Key details: A straight rye whiskey from Tennessee that retails for ~$60 nationally at most retailers.

• Appearance: 14/15 points

• Nose: 23/25 Points

• Palate/Taste: 33/35 Points

• Finish: 20/25 points

• Total Score: 89

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For me, Nearest’s Old Fashioned is a cool cocktail I came up with for three reasons.

1. I use Difford’s website like a bible, and I follow their lead whenever I want to make a cocktail. However, I don’t have the ingredients they call for half the time, so I have to freestyle and finesse my way to the finish line. Also, I like being the guinea pig for my experiments, so it’s all good.

2. Because Nearest Green deserves a drink named in his honor around here. Also, I included agave in the drink to make this something that could reflect my Black and Latino ethnicity. Finally, the creator of Peychaud’s bitters (Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Creole apothecary) was from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) and migrated to New Orleans, where the bitters became popularized. I’d say this drink checks the boxes.

3. The original version is strong as hell. The second iteration is still quite potent, but a bit smoother. Get your popcorn ready.

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1.0 and 2.0. (Source: Uncle Nearest)

Recipe: Nearest’s Old Fashioned 1.0 and 2.0

• Serve: Old fashioned glass

• Garnish: Orange or lemon peel (optional)

• Ingredients for Nearest’s Old Fashioned 1.0:

  • 1.5 oz — Uncle Nearest 1856 American Whiskey (100 proof)

  • 1 oz — Uncle Nearest Rye (100 proof)

  • 0.33 oz — Agave syrup (if you can find light agave syrup, bump up to 0.5 oz)

  • 6-8 drops — Peychaud’s bitters

• Ingredients for Nearest’s Old Fashioned 2.0:

  • 1.5 oz — Uncle Nearest 1884 American Whiskey (93 proof)

  • 1 oz — Uncle Nearest Rye (100 proof)

  • 0.25 oz — Agave syrup (if you can find light agave syrup, bump up to 0.5 oz)

  • 6-8 drops — Peychaud’s bitters

• Make the cocktail: Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, stir for 30 seconds and strain into a glass with a big ass cube or sphere. Regular ice works, too, I guess.

Difford’s version tasks you to pair a strong bourbon with a strong rye that adds complexity to a classic cocktail like an old fashioned. Old fashioneds are partially named, in my opinion, because they taste familiar every time you try one. Even when you go to the airport bar, and they use that pre-mix stuff and slap some Maker’s Mark (no shade, Mr. Maker or Mr. Mark) and that weak ass cherry in the glass, when you taste it, you know it’s an old fashioned.

The same rule applies here. The rye tangles with the Tennessee Whiskey while the agave and bitters prepare to spice things up even more. As I said, this is a potent beverage, but it won’t be noticeable by your chest caving in or your nose hairs being singed off. You won’t realize the potency until you’ve knocked down your second or third one for the night.

You’re welcome.