Middle West Pumpernickel Rye Cask Strength
Overall Score: 6.75/10
Overall Value: 2.75/5
Distillery: Middle West Spirits
Classification: Rye Whiskey Finished in Calvados Casks
Company: Middle West Spirits, LLC
Release Date: 2026
Proof: 123.8
Age: 5-Years
Mashbill: Dark Pumpernickel Rye, Ohio Soft Red Winter Wheat, Non-GMO, Open Pollinated Yellow Corn, and 2-row Barley
Color: Hazlenut
MSRP: $70 (2026)
The Barrel Bros’ Review
The nose of this Middle West Pumpernickel Rye Cask Strength starts off bright, fun, and sweet. It hits with notes reminiscent of opening a fresh pack of gum, Strawberry Jolly Ranchers, and simple syrup, alongside a bready character straight from the rye grain. As it opens up, it develops hints of cola, caramel, vanilla, and honey.
The palate is where the pour takes a sharp turn. While the mouthfeel has a juicy quality with a noticeable proof sting, the flavors feel a bit disjointed. You get a touch of sweet vanilla Tootsie Rolls and light cinnamon spice early on, but the bright fruitiness largely fades away. Hints of leather, tobacco, and dry oak start to creep in, leading to a basic, somewhat muddy profile that struggles to maintain the promise of the nose.
The finish is light at first, requiring a few sips to fully develop. Fortunately, some of the red fruit sweetness returns near the end, bringing back notes of red apple and white grape. However, that brief reprieve eventually gives way to a dry, charred oak flavor that lingers on the palate without ending on a high note.
Middle West Pumpernickel Rye Cask Strength is a cautionary tale about flashy packaging masking what is ultimately in the glass. While the nose brings plenty of promise with its vibrant, sugary notes, the palate and finish prove that a fancy presentation cannot entirely save an unpolished pour. At its standard MSRP, it is a tough pill to swallow for those expecting complexity.
If you’re looking for specific notes from our Barrel Bros, read their individual reviews below!
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Individual Reviews
The Rye Guy Says
Score: 7.5/10
Value: 3.5/5
THE NOSE:
The nose is bright, fruity, and sweet.
The sweetness reminds me of opening a pack of gum, and most closely juicy fruit with almost a bit of simple syrup.
THE TASTE:
The mouthfeel is juicy with a bit of a sting. Vanilla tootsie roll is primarily what I get from the sweetness of the pour with a touch of cinnamon from the rye spice.
Maybe a touch of light oak as well. Towards the very end I get a bit of a leather as the sip moves a bit darker. The fruitiness was lost here for me.
THE FINISH:
The finish is light for me. It took multiple sips to start to develop a profile for the finish.
I'm happy to say that a bit of the fruit flavors come back with some red apple and white grape.
BUY OR PASS?
I really enjoyed that this whiskey is both sweet, light, and full bodied. It certainly has some twists and turns to it, which fortunately for me, I enjoyed.
The Hunter Says
Score: 6/10
Value: 2/5
THE NOSE:
This actually starts off pretty fun—it’s light, bright, and hits you with sweet notes like Strawberry Jolly Ranchers and bubble gum.
Surprisingly, it smells a lot like a Jack Daniel’s 10 or 12-Year, just without as much depth. You also get a bit of cola and a bread-like note from the rye, followed by some standard caramel, vanilla, and honey as it opens up.
THE TASTE:
Unfortunately, the palate takes a steep nose-dive into total basic territory. There’s a tiny bit of sweet fruitiness—which probably comes from that Calvados (apple brandy) cask finish—along with some tobacco, leather, and oak.
Honestly, it made me realize I might just not be a fan of brandy-finished whiskeys, because this just wasn't working.
THE FINISH:
A generic sweetness sticks around for a short while before turning into a dry, charred oak flavor on the long finish.
It definitely doesn't end on a high note.
BUY OR PASS?
This bottle serves up a hard-learned lesson in the bourbon world: never trust a young whiskey from a lesser-known distillery just because it comes in a flashy, fancy box. More often than not, that heavy box is just there to hide subpar liquid and distract you from what's actually in the glass.
The nose shows a little promise, but the palate and finish prove that a pretty container can't save a bad pour.
