Smoke Wagon 'Experimental' 9 Year Old Rye Whiskey
Smoke Wagon 'Experimental' 9 Year Old Rye Whiskey is a cask-strength (~117.2 proof / 58.6% ABV), 750mL, 9-year-old straight rye whiskey — built on a 51% rye / 49% malted barley mash bill from a 2013 experimental distilling run, a 94-point Whisky Advocate release — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: ~58.6% (~117.2 proof), cask strength
- Age: 9 years
- Mash bill: 51% rye, 49% malted barley — a 2013 experimental run
- Experiment: 22 barrels across four char codes (C, D, E, F)
- Score: 94 points, Whisky Advocate
- Size: 750mL, true limited release
A 22-Barrel Mad-Science Project
In 2013, the distillery ran an experiment: a 51% rye / 49% malted barley mash bill — unusually creamy and malt-driven for a rye — spread across just 22 barrels with four different char treatments. Char C got heavy toast before charring; D, E, and F carried progressively heavier char levels. Nine years later, Smoke Wagon bottled the results at cask strength, and the critics noticed: 94 points from Whisky Advocate for depth, balance, and a long, structured finish. This is the kind of release that exists once — when the 22 barrels are gone, the experiment is over.
Tasting Notes
Nose: layered rye spice, caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, citrus peel, and dried herbs with a subtle smoky char influence. Palate: bold and structured — cinnamon, black pepper, toffee, charred oak, orange zest, and sweet grain over a full, textured mouthfeel. Finish: long and warming, with lingering rye spice, oak, caramel sweetness, and refined char complexity.
How to Enjoy
Neat, with patience — at ~117 proof this is a serious enthusiast's pour. A few drops of water open the malt-driven creaminess at the core. Rye collectors will want to taste it alongside a standard high-rye rye to appreciate what the malted barley does.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the "experiment"? A 2013 distilling run of a 51% rye/49% malted barley mash bill, aged 9 years in 22 barrels with four different char treatments (codes C, D, E, F).
What proof is it? Cask strength around 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV), varying slightly by char code.
Why is it so rare? Only 22 barrels were ever made — split four ways across the char codes — so each expression is among the scarcest Smoke Wagon releases.
Mad science, bottled at cask strength — order Smoke Wagon Experimental Rye online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.