Country – Region: USA – Kentucky
Distillery: Wilderness Trail
Bottler: Luca Mariano
Type: Kentucky Straight Rye
Age: NAS
Cask: American White Oak
ABV: 51.5%
Proof: 103
Price: $70

Nose: Grapefruit, cloves,  like a gin. dusty room. Cardamom, cherries

Palate: Honey, herbaceous, really dry, bubblegum, nutmeg

Finish: Vanilla, peppers, dry, cinnamon, melon, banana

Luca Mariano Distillery is an Italian story rooting in Kentucky, trying to bring Italian inspired bourbon and rye from the family recipes of Francesco S. Viola. Currently, the distillery is being built and LMD partnered up with Wilderness Trail Distillery to create their whiskies. I have received 5 of their expressions and will be reviewing them one by one.

• Luca Mariano Old Americana Small Batch Bourbon
• Luca Mariano Single Barrel Bourbon
• Luca Mariano Signature Bourbon
• Luca Mariano Old Americana Rye Whiskey

How Does It Taste?

Luca Mariano Single Barrel Rye Whiskey is bottled at 103 proof. Aged for probably more than 3 years.

This is probably the richest nose I have tried from the distillery. It reminds me of a barrel-aged gin first with grapefruit and cloves. Cardamom and cherries act fast and completed with some dusty grain. The palate is again sweet but intensely dry with cherries, bubblegum, honey, nutmeg and some herbaceous feeling. Tjhe finis is still dry with vanilla, peppers, cinnamon, melon and banana.

Verdict

Luca Mariano definitely has a sweet signature style. Every other whiskey from them is either adding on to the sweetness or balancing it with the spicy character. Luca Mariano Single Barrel Rye is my favorite of the line with its balance, even though there is still intense sweetness on the palate. This is a good sipper and can be a really good base for a Whiskey Sour!