Trapline Rock and Rye
Alie and I love to hit the road in the summer to explore the West. We love camping, visiting new places, and checking out the National Parks. One thing we love just as much as camping is visiting local distilleries and breweries we never knew existed. It’s how we discovered Trapline Rock and Rye.
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a draw for many whiskey enthusiasts. While visiting our favorite distilleries and searching for allocated bottles would be fun, it lacks adventure. We love to discover something new that was previously unknown to us.
Our quest to discover something new is exactly what led us to Glacier Distilling in Coram, Montana. We were driving towards Glacier National Park on our way to our camp reservations, excited to see the beauty within the park. Along the road, a sign caught our eye that indicated there was a distillery and they did tastings. We knew we were going to have to stop in to discover their spirits.
Glacier Distilling Company
Glacier Distilling Co. is located in a red barn along HWY 2 in Coram, MT. The sign that said “Whiskey Barn” caught my eye from the road. When we visit distilleries, we never know what to expect. Will they have a lot of whiskeys to choose from, or do they specialize in clear spirits? With a whiskey barn sign, we were happy to find they distilled several different whiskeys for our enjoyment.
The winner of our sampling was Trapline Rock and Rye. We purchased the Trapline, along with Gin and Two Med, and brought them back to Colorado. Only recently did I discover that our bottle of Trapline Rock and Rye was still unopened, despite returning from Montana last August. I found it sitting on our wine rack while cleaning and figured opening it was long overdue.
Rock and Rye
Rock and rye is a style of whiskey that has its origins in the late 19th century. Rock and ryes were marketed as a medicine to cure what ails you. Much like snake oil, people proclaimed rock and rye could cure your cough, cold, headache, “women’s issues,” even cancer. Rock and rye began appearing widely in local pharmacies sometime in the 1870s and most were concocted by the local shopkeep. Eventually, rock and ryes were categorized as a unique spirit and are still recognized as such today.
Rock and rye typically contains three ingredients: rye whiskey, citrus, and sugar. The sugar traditionally used in rock and rye was rock candy, hence the rock part of the name. The rock candy was sometimes flavored and sometimes paired with citrus or other fruit. Today, rock and rye needs to contain rye and some type of sugar. Citrus and other flavorings are considered optional.
In a nutshell, rock and rye is a little like an old-fashioned. It would be easy to pour over a rock and call it a cocktail, without the need to combine ingredients or stir. Rock and rye is delicious, different than our normal whiskey selection, and easy to prep. It’s a winning combination on those days where we want something different but are too tired to prep a cocktail.
At a minimum, rock and rye must be 25.5% alcohol. However, it is worth noting that you will likely find rock and rye bottled at a higher proof, which is another reason to explore the category. Rock and rye has experienced a resurgence since the early 2010s. Today, more distilleries are experimenting with rock and rye offerings. After trying Trapline Rock and Rye, it is an expression I’ve become more interested in learning about and trying as I see it available. That means you should expect another review of a more widely available rock and rye in the coming months.
Trapline Rock and Rye
Trapline Rock and Rye is distilled and bottled by Glacier Distilling Company in Coram, Montana. It is a combination of their house-made rye sweetened with honey. Glacier Distilling then adds citrus and aromatic spices to produce this unique whiskey. Trapline is bottled at 80 proof, so it is a nice sipping whiskey.
Trapline Rock and Rye earned a couple of awards. First, Trapline earned a Silver Medal in 2019 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Then in 2021, Trapline earned a Gold Medal at the International Whiskey Competition for the best flavored whiskey. Say what you want about flavored whiskey but some are absolutely worth drinking, especially when they help you relax after the long drive to reach Glacier NP.
Tasting Notes
I recall enjoying Trapline enough to take a bottle home with me when we left Glacier NP in 2021, so I was excited to revisit this bottle. I noticed cereal grains on the nose, with hints of honey. I took a sip and noticed cereal grains on my palate. The graininess was quickly replaced with a hint of orange sweetness. To me, it drinks like an old-fashioned, which means that it’s a little sweet and I find my glass is empty really quickly. If I were going to use it in a cocktail, it would be the perfect base in our Honey Maple Old Fashioned.
Alie noticed herbal notes on the nose, picking up many of the aromatics that flavor Trapline. She felt it smelled more like gin than a whiskey, likely due to the infusion of aromatic spices. She picked up bits of clove, allspice, and coriander on her palate. For her, it was more than a whiskey. It was a light, tasty beverage you could sip with a rock on a day when a high-proof whiskey wasn’t what you wanted.
Trapline doesn’t have an age statement, but based on the aging of their other rye whiskeys, it is likely around the two-year range. I noticed the whiskey tastes a little grainy and young, but that taste is quickly erased by the sweetness of the honey and spices. Trapline Rock and Rye is a pleasant pour.
Our Ratings
Drinkability: 4
Personal Preference: 3.5
Intensity: 1.5
Beginner Friendly: 5
Availability: 1
Overall: 3.4
Final Thoughts
Trapline Rock and Rye is a really delicious bottle of flavored whiskey. Essentially, it is an old-fashioned in a bottle. It is sweet and easy to drink and we both really enjoyed sipping on this one. Honestly, we found we reached the bottom of the bottle way too quickly because of how easy Trapline Rock and Rye is to sip.
Where this bottle rates low is going to be in the availability department. If you want a bottle, you’ll likely have to travel all the way to Coran, MT. For most Americans, Canada is actually closer than Coram. If you find yourself close to Montana, a number of liquor stores in Montana do carry Glacier Distilling Co. products, so it is worth the stop if you find yourself inside the Montana state line.
Later this summer we’re planning on visiting northern Wyoming, near Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. If we happen to find ourselves in the park and not far from West Yellowstone, I’ll be taking a detour to the local liquor store to pick up another bottle, or two, of Trapline. Take that, Bourbon Trail.
Happy Exploring!
