New Holland Beer Barrel Rye is a rye whiskey finished in Dragon’s Milk stout barrels after aging in new American oak. Bottled at 44% ABV, it follows the same finishing process used for the brand's bourbon.
On the other hand, it’s not particularly “spicy” in the style of classic rye whiskeys — though perhaps that’s merely a sign of too many days being spent in those stout barrels, or simply a question of pairing the wrong whiskey or the wrong beer, ultimately creating a mismatch that doesn’t gel the way it did in the bourbon release.
The flavors aren’t complementary and contrast in a big way. It's certainly a fascinating experiment and I applaud the adventurousness of New Holland, but this is one case of better luck next time.
