Review #943 - Deer Camp Straight Rye

MGP's 95% rye, 5% malted barley mashbill is one of the most widely sourced and distributed mashbills in the American whisky market. Many non-distilling producers (NDPs), and even some other distilleries, have sourced this rye whisky to bottle as their own; here's one example from Michigan. Northern Latitudes distillery bottles this MGP rye under the brand 'Deep Camp.'

There's no age statement on the bottle, but the website indicates a total aging time of 4 years in new American oak. The proof is relatively low at 86 (43% ABV), but this rye also comes with a reasonable price tag: $38, when we bought it from the distillery tasting room in 2025.

Deer Camp Straight Rye

USA - Rye

Price: USD 38 (2026)

Age Statement: 4 Years

Strength: 43% ABV

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 15 months; bottles at 100%, 90%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Very rye-forward but also quite sweet - candied rye, herbal, lavender, effervescent spice. A bit of caramel combines with a little hint of dark fruit like plum; there's also some young alcohol character. Pine, menthol, eucalyptus, mint, and sage build over time.

Palate: Sweeter to start the palate, less rye-dominant. Butterscotch, brown sugar, caramel, and thin maple syrup; the mouthfeel is medium-thin, texture is mild. Then the rye builds again, bringing white pepper, mint, menthol, and sharp spearmint. Dry oak combines with some spirity youth, and we get an aftertaste of cinnamon-topped waffles with syrup.

Finish: Oranges, peppermint candies, caramel, more sharp mint; it's herbal and spicy, but somewhat simple. Brown sugar, dry oak, and a vague synthetic sweetness linger in the aftertaste, and it's a medium length finish.

Final Note: A mediocre bottle of whisky, quite a standard young rye - but maybe that's to be expected at this sort of price point. While the nose showed tons of rye character, there was more sweetness to start the palate; after that, though, the end of the palate and the finish bring back strong rye spices and herbal essence. The mouthfeel is a bit lacking at this strength, but honestly, the flavor density is better than we expected. Value is alright since this is a relatively cheap bottle of rye.

Our Rating: 5.2 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 6.15

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.