Midway Distilling Company Colonel Francisco Rye Whiskey Finished in Rum Barrels

Rum-kissed rye doesn’t usually show this much balance. Midway Distilling Company’s Colonel Francisco Rye starts as classic 95/5 MGP rye, aged four years before finishing in rum barrels at Bluegrass Distillers. It bottles at 110 proof, keeping that high-rye snap while layering in molasses richness and tropical fruit from the finishing casks.

The aroma leans sweet and bright at first. Sweet molasses, vanilla, salted caramel, and baked apple roll out of the glass, followed by raisin, brown sugar, and gentle baking spice. There’s a soft buttered-rum note in the background, giving the nose a cozy, dessert-cart feel without losing the rye’s herbal edge.

On the palate, pepper and rum trade places. Fresh rye pepper hits early, then fades into brown sugar, caramel, apple slices, ripe banana, and a clear ribbon of rum sweetness. Raisin, light oak, and barrel char build mid-palate, nudging the sweetness toward something darker, slightly toasty, and more grown-up.

The finish shows both spirits at once. Sweet rum notes linger first, then give way to rye spice, baking spice, oak, and a light savory echo that keeps your palate curious.

Heat runs moderate for the proof, more of a steady, warming glide than a sharp snap.

Nose: Sweet molasses, vanilla, salted caramel, and fresh apple lead, joined by light raisin, brown sugar, and gentle baking spice. Hints of buttered rum, soft oak, and a touch of barrel char sit underneath, adding depth without turning heavy.

Palate: Peppery rye spice lands first, quickly wrapped in brown sugar, caramel, apple, and banana over a soft layer of molasses and rum.

Raisin, toasted oak, and light char slide in later, giving a slightly smoky, toasted finish to the otherwise pastry-leaning profile.

Finish: Sweet rum and molasses linger, then drift into rye-driven spice, oak, and barrel char. The aftertaste is lightly savory, with brown sugar, apple skin, and gentle warmth lingering longer than expected.

This rum-finished rye loves char and sweetness together.
Try it with jerk chicken or grilled pork chops brushed in brown-sugar glaze; the molasses, fruit, and spice fall perfectly into the caramelized edges.

For something simpler, pour it next to smoked sausage with grilled pineapple or plantains, letting the banana and rum notes echo on the plate.

On a cheese and snack board, reach for aged cheddar, smoked Gouda, candied pecans, and dried banana chips to underline the rum, caramel, and fruit.

Dessert pairings feel easy: banana bread, rum cake, or sticky toffee pudding all mirror the whiskey’s brown sugar, banana, and molasses core.