Dad’s Hat Rye Single Barrel- Selected by The Only Bourbon Fans
In true Only Bourbon Fans fashion, we went outside the box with our second single-barrel pick—selecting a rye of all things. Some might even call us The Only Rye Guys now.
This isn’t just any rye, though. It’s Pennsylvania rye, made the way it used to be—with zero corn in the mash bill.
The Selection Process
Here’s the funny thing—we had no intention of making a barrel pick when we visited the Dad’s Hat. We were just there to check out the operation, maybe try a few things, and enjoy a day at the distillery with Founder and Distiller Herman Mihalich. But then we tasted this barrel… and there was no way we were leaving without it. Click here for a behind the scenes look at our tour with Herman.
We ultimately teamed up with Lounge 611 to make the pick. We wanted to be sure this was the one, so we gave three other barrels a second chance in a blind tasting—but none of them lived up to the original selection. It was the clear winner every time. Watch the selection process on YouTube.
Nose
Extra sweet, buttery caramel with hints of fruit and a touch of herbal character.
Palate
Green apple joins the sweetness. Buttery caramel carries through with a long, peppery finish that lingers.
The Verdict
Some picks make you think. This one made the decision for us. From the moment we tried it, it was clear— we needed a bottle (or bottles) of this on our shelf.. Bold, balanced, and packed with flavor, it’s everything we want in a rye.
Rating: 1/1, obviously.
And yes, we’ve got something special planned—a live head-to-head tasting of our Dad’s Hat pick vs. Fred Minnick’s, LIVE on his YouTube channel. Make sure to grab yourself a bottle so you can taste along with us.