Rye Whiskey Showdown: Tuthilltown vs Old Overholt

I decided to get a better since of the various rye whiskeys I have stashed away in my bar I would do some head to head comparisons and share the results with all my loyal readers.

In this showdown we have old standby vs micro-distillery up and comer

They players:

• Old Overholt - about as classic as you can get with american whiskey.  Once a staple in grandparents it has be banished to the bottom shelf at most liquor stores (though it is at most liquor stores so that is a plus).  Recently I have seen it being called out by name on some cocktail menus in NYC.  Price: dirt cheap!
• Tuthilltown Manhattan Rye:  Pretty much the opposite of Old Overholt.  Each bottle is hand filled, numbered, corked, and waxed.  Only comes in 375ml bottles.  Price: ~$45 for a 375 (ouch)

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Battle 1:  Head-to-Head (straight)

setup:  I was in a whiskey with an ice cube kind of mood so I decided to throw one in - I know some purists just cringed but whatever it is a even playing field

Old Overholt:
Spiciness you expect from a rye while being lean and mean with a sweet/tart thing going on and a lasting dryness.

Tuthilltown:
Much more complex - loads more spice plus a deep woody flavor that finishes with a strong char flavor

Winner:  I am not a habitual rye whiskey sipper so when I do I would probably be drawn to the complexity of the Tuthilltown.. though if I was drinking this every night I would heavily consider the much cheaper Old Overholt

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Battle 2:  Cocktails (Old Fashioned's)

Setup:
Two identical Old Fashioned's
1.5 oz Rye Whiskey
1 tsp simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Lemon Twist


Tuthilltown:  Deep flavor, lots of spices coming from the whiskey and the bitters.  Seems also getting a lot of sweetness mixed with a cinnamon and fruit. There is a lot going on here.. not exactly what I think about for an Old Fashioned but not in a bad way

Old Overholt:  Much lighter and much more bright.   Noticeable citrus from the twist.  Bottom line about the basic old fashioned taste I can think of.

Winner:  Draw - While the Tuthilltown took on a life of its own and really made the drink something it wasn't exactly what I think of when I turn to an old fashioned.. a lot more flavors.