Very Olde St. Nick Harvest Rye is a cask strength rye built to celebrate the annual fall harvest, and it is one of the most sought after ryes coming out of Kentucky. The Very Olde St. Nick name has been a cult obsession for decades, born in the 1980s largely for the Japanese export market under Marci Palatella, whose early bottlings passed through the hands of Julian Van Winkle and later the Willett family before the brand found its permanent home at Preservation Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Harvest Rye is a beautiful union of superior Kentucky pot distilled rye and rye barrels drawn from the brand's vintage whiskey stocks, with the whiskey maturing for at least seven summers. The casks are dumped in early fall, benefiting from the fresh extraction of barrel spice that follows the intense heat of a Kentucky summer, and the whiskey is selected from over a hundred barrels resting in the Bardstown warehouse. Like everything under this label it is released in minuscule one to three barrel batches, so lots differ and each is a snapshot that will never be repeated. Bottled at cask strength without dilution, it pours a deep amber and opens with an inviting bouquet of vanilla and dried fruit alongside cinnamon and oak. The palate is a rich tapestry of spicy rye, caramel and warm baking spices, with caramelized oak giving weight and depth. The finish is long and lingering, leaving a lasting impression of oak and sweet spice that invites the next sip. A gold medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, it is bold, robust and genuinely memorable. Sip it neat, or add a splash of water to unlock its full character.
ABV / Proof
| Brand |
Very Olde St. Nick |
| Producer |
Preservation Distillery + Farm, Bardstown, Kentucky |
| Category |
Rye Whiskey (Estate Reserve, cask strength) |
| Age |
7 to 9 years (at least seven summers) |
| Composition |
Kentucky pot distilled rye + rye barrels from vintage stocks |
| Batch |
1 to 3 barrel batches; casks dumped in early fall |
| ABV |
59.4% |
| Proof |
118.8 |
| Bottle Size |
750ml |
| Country |
United States |
| Region |
Kentucky |
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep amber.
Nose: Vanilla and dried fruit with cinnamon and oak.
Palate: Spicy rye, caramel and warm baking spices over caramelized oak.
Finish: Long and lingering with oak and sweet spice.
FAQ
What is Very Olde St. Nick Harvest Rye? It is a cask strength rye whiskey uniting Kentucky pot distilled rye with rye barrels from the brand's vintage stocks, aged at least seven summers and dumped in early fall.
What proof is it? It is bottled at cask strength, with lots typically falling between 114 and 122 proof. Proof varies by lot, so the exact figure is recorded per bottle.
Who makes it? The Very Olde St. Nick brand, founded by Marci Palatella, is now bottled at Preservation Distillery and Farm in Bardstown, Kentucky.
Why is it collectible? Releases are minuscule one to three barrel batches from a cult brand, and it has won gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
How should I drink it? Neat, or with a splash of water to unlock its full character.
Where can I buy Very Olde St. Nick Harvest Rye Cask Strength Whiskey online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
