Betz Rye Single Cask 2017/2022 50
Delicate, Juicy, Oak, Vanilla2025-01-30
Smell
The first impression is a slap in the face. Instead of a harmonious bouquet, you are met with a spirit-heavy attack that is more reminiscent of cheap booze than a carefully matured whisky. Hidden somewhere in between are notes of raspberry, aniseed and - yes, you read that right - Fisherman's Friend cherry. Who came up with that, please? It doesn't smell like a handcrafted whisky, it smells like a failed experiment in chemistry class.
Taste
The next disaster reveals itself on the tongue. The whisky tastes sweet, but not in a good way. It is a dull, cereal sweetness accompanied by a faint citrus flavour. But instead of coming across as fresh and lively, the flavour remains flat and uninspired. Where is the depth? Where is the complexity? Instead, you get a flavour that is as exciting as a dry bread roll.
Finish
The finish is so short that one is almost grateful - if it wasn't so sharp and woody. The oak dominates here in the worst possible way, accompanied by a sharp afterburn that is more reminiscent of cheap grain than a single cask whisky. There is no long, pleasant finish, just an abrupt end that leaves you perplexed.
Thoughts
The Betz Rye Single Cask 50 is a whisky that you can safely ignore. There are better German whiskies out there - and this is definitely not one of them. If you want to spend your money wisely, you should look elsewhere. A 4-year-old rye whisky with 48.00% ABV could have so much potential, but this one is just a disappointment. The spirit-heavy smell, dull flavour and sharp finish make this whisky an example of how not to do it.