AT A GLANCE

• Owned, Distilled and Bottled by: Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, KY

• Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley

• Still Type: Column Still

• Age: NAS (6+ years)

• Strength: 45% ABV

• Price: $22

Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Bourbon commemorate the year that according to legend Evan Williams became Kentucky's first distiller. While there isn’t any direct historical evidence to support this, EW 1783 has been a mainstay of the Heaven Hill portfolio for over 30 years. In the 1990s 1784 had a 10-year age statement and bottled at 86 proof. Around 2004, Heaven Hill transitioned 1783 from its age statement to a “Small Batch” selection of 5 to 6 year old barrels. However in 2021, Heaven Hill updated the brand again with a new bottle design, an increase in the average barrel age (now 6-8 years) and bumped the strength to 90 proof.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The whiskey has a nice light aroma of oak and green apple with just a touch of brown sugar.

Palate: On the palate there are flavors of sweet cherry, green apple, vanilla, oak and just a touch of tannins on the backend that help moderate the bourbon's sweetness.

Finish: The finish is long with a nice medium sweetness that includes notes of wood sugars, cooked green apple, cinnamon, and a faint note of rich cocktail cherries in syrup.

Conclusion: The new formulation of Evan Williams 1783 is excellent and misses out on all the hype that goes to Elijah Craig. 1783 has the benefit of pulling from more mature barrels than the Bottled in Bond or the black label and the higher proof helps carry those flavors better than the lower proof version of 1783 ever did. The 86-proof version of 1783 did not seem to have much of a purpose in the lineup between the standard EW black label (also at 86 proof) and the EW single barrel. However, now at 90 proof and pulling from mostly 6 year old barrels, Heaven Hill has found a new sweet spot in terms of both quality and value. If you are a fan of the black label like I am, you need to give 1783 another chance and I think you will be pleasantly surprised how good it is. It is so so easy to drink neat, and it is affordable enough to mix with or use in cocktails without giving it a second thought. If you like the Heaven Hill profile and or you like bourbons that tend to be a little fruitier and sweeter than oaky and high proof, Evan Williams 1783 is a must buy for your home bar.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Komasa Jyozo

  Distilled by: Kanosuke Distillery & Hiokio Distillery, Hioki, Japan

• Blended and Bottled by: Kanosuke Distillery

• Spirit Type: Blended Japanese Whisky

• Mash Bill: Malted and Unmalted Balrey

• Still Type: Vacuum & non-vacumm Pot Stills

• Age: NAS (3-5 years)

• Strength: 53% ABV

• Price: $120

Kanosuke Double Distillery Japanese Blended Whisky is the merging of malt and grain whiskies made by the Komasa family at their sister distilleries. The Kanosuke distillery is home to their single malt production while their grain whisky comes from their Hioki distillery, which is about a 10 minute drive down the road. Both distilleries are situated on what is known as Kagoshima's mellow coast. The name refers more the laid back are relaxed character of the region but the weather goes through some dramatic temperature changes throughout the year which aids the whisky's movement in and out of the barrels. The distilleries are situated in a subtropical climate with hot and humid summers and mild winters which are tempered by their proximity to the East China Sea. Between the two distilleries they have 10 pot stills and age their whiskies in five different barrels which gives them a very broad pallet of flavors to draw from to create each expression. For their Double Distillery whisky, they do not specify a mixture of certain barrels so it is fair to assume they are blending for a particular flavor profile rather than a percentage of each barrel type.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: On the nose you notice distinct elements of the constituent whiskies. There is the creamy maltiness and stone fruit elements from the single malt and there are the spicy almost citrus elements coming from the pot still whisky. Both elements layer together nicely.

Palate: The whisky is busting on the palate with flavors of stone fruit, lemon, creamy biscuits, vanilla wafers, toasted oak, hazelnut and there is a distinct, yet subtle peat note that supports the rest of the flavors.

Finish: The finish has an intense drying sensation that calls you back for another sip. The flavor of the whisky lingers for a long time on notes of ripe plum, vanilla, oak, and a light hint of spice from the unmalted barley.

Conclusion: Blended whiskies are sometimes looked down upon as only being fit for highballs or mixing. But Kanosuke's Double Distillery Japanese Whisky is an excellent example of how in the right hands the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts. This blend finds all the best elements for both the Kanosuke Single Malt and the Hioki Pot Still and merges them seamlessly into a new singular whole. The whiskey shows great character and maturity and justifies its $120 suggested retail price. This is a great spirit and it is a definite buy for any fan of Japanese whisky.

So, whether you love Malört and want new ways to enjoy it, or you bought a bottle as a prank and can’t bring yourself to dump it out, here are a few Malört cocktails you can enjoy now—or save for the apocalypse when most of the other booze is already gone. All jokes aside, if you like grapefruit in your cocktails or jucy IPAs then this cocktials will be right up your alley.

Malört Spritz

• 2 oz Jeppson's Malört

• 1/4 oz fresh grapefruit or lime juice

• Top with grapefruit seltzer

Fill a Collins glass or a large wine glass with ice and add Malört, lime juice, and top with grapefruit soda water.

The fresh juice really helps to tame the the bitterness of the Malört and give the drink more dimension.

The Forced Retirement

• 3/4 oz. Jeppson's Malört

• 1 oz Gin (preferably a classic juniper forward style gin)

• 1/2 oz Campari

• 3/4 oz passion fruit syrup

• 3/4 oz fresh lime juice

• 3/4 oz grapefruit juice

• Pineapple fronds & cocktail umbrella for garnish

Combine ingredients in a Collins glass, add crushed ice and swizzel until the outside of the glass is frosted. Garnish with pineapple fronds and a cocktail umbrella, add straw and serve. Drink designed by Anders Erickson

Hard Sell

• 1 oz Gin (preferably a classic juniper forward style gin)

• 1 oz Elderflower liqueur

• 3/4 oz Jeppson’s Malört

• 3/4 ounce lemon juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe. Express a grapefruit peel over the surface of the drink and discard.

Created by Brad Bolt

The Bukowski

• 1 1/2 oz Jeppson’s Malört

• 1/2 oz Drambuie

• 3/4 oz Fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 oz Fresh orange juice

• 1/2 oz honey syrup (1:1 honey and water)

• 5 large Basil leaves

Combine all ingredients to shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Drink designed by Charles Joly

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Komasa Jyozo

  Distilled & Bottled by: Hioki Distillery, Hioki, Japan

• Spirit Type: Pot Still Japanese Whisky

• Mash Bill: Malted and Unmalted Balrey

• Still Type: Vacuum Pot Stills

• Age: NAS (3-5 years)

• Strength: 51% ABV

• Price: $110

The Hioki distillery is owned by the Komasa family who have been making mugi (barley) shochu since 1883. Today, the distillery has seven stainless steel vacuum pot still which the use for making shochus from barley, sweet potatoes, and rice, as well as a grain whisky made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley. According to the distillery, the wash is fermented for 5 days and reaches 14% ABV, about double compared to their malt wash at Kanosuke. They then double distill the wash using their vacuum stills which they believe allows them to extract more flavor from the grain without as many harsh alcohols and congeners. After distillation, the spirit is aged for a minimum of three years in a combination of new American oak barrels and ex-bourbon barrels. Some of this grain whiskey is then bottled, non-chill filtered at 51% ABV for their Hioki Pot Still Japanese Whisky and some is used to make their Kanosuke blended whisky.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The whisky has a distinct floral aroma like fresh cut flowers combined with a touch of oak. As the whisky opens sweeter notes of cooked grain and vanilla come to great you.

Palate: The whisky has the distinct flavor of un-malted barley that comes through on the first sip. There is a bright almost sour element that combines with an underlying creaminess almost like buttermilk biscuits and lemon zest. There is also a touch of spiciness that is common with unmalted barley that is more subtle than the spiciness found in rye.

Finish: The finish is light with a warming sensation on the lips and chest from the alcohol but there is also a vanilla sweetness from the oak that floats in the background.

Conclusion: Hioki Post Still Japanese Whisky is an interesting spirit worth sampling however, if you are unfamiliar with other pot still whiskies you may find this a bit unusual. Neat and at room temperature the whisky is good but the sweetness of the whisky really opens with just a splash or water or over a large ice cube. I think this whisky would also work nicely in an Old Fashioned. Here again like with the Kanosuke Single Malt, I think the Hioki Pot Still will show better after more time in the barrel and the underlying qualities of the spirit are allowed to mature. Right now, $110 feels a bit steep but if you told me that they would have an 8 year old version at the same price and a bit more complexity then we are in the ballpark for a full-throated indorsement. Kanosuke is showing incredible potential and if you want to see them survive long enough to produce fantastic whisky there is plenty enough to enjoy now.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned, Distilled and Bottled by: CH Distillery, Chicago, IL

• Spirit Type: Besk liqueur

• Strength: 35% ABV

• Price: $28

Jeppson's Malört is the infamous liqueur that revels in how much people hate its taste. And for half a century Chicagoans have been foisting shots of Malört on unsuspecting visitors as a symbol of their love. But for the last 15 years or so Malört has gained an exuberant fan base around the country. Malört is a bitter Swedish-style liqueur known as bäsk or besk that draws its primary flavor and bitterness from wormwood.

Carl Jeppson who was a Swedish immigrant living in Chicago, created Malört in the 1920s. Jeppson originally sold Malört as a medicinal tonic during prohibition and took its name from the Swedish word for wormwood. But in 1933, after the repeal of the 18th Amendment, Jeppson transformed Malört into the liqueur we know today. While other besks use wormwood and other botanicals to flavor the spirit, Jeppson made Malört with just wormwood, alcohol, and a little bit of sugar which does little to tame its bitterness.

In 2012, Malört, which sold almost exclusively in the Chicagoland, began leaning into its bad reputation online as one of the world’s worst liquors “savored by two-fisted drinker”. The hashtag #MalortFace helped spread the reputation of the spirit as the world took pleasure in watching the reactions of the uninitiated taking shots of the bitter liqueur. And today, Malört content is on almost every social media platform. This combined with enclaves of Chicagoans spread across the country, the popularity of Malört has started to grow and the liqueur is now distributed in about 20 states.

For almost all its existence Malört has been a singular expression that has maintained the same formula since its launch in 1933. However, in 2020, CH Distillery, the new owners of Malört, released a limited barrel aged expression. Barrel Aged Malört has since become an annual release around April Fool’s Day and during the winter holidays CH has started releasing very small quantities of distillery exclusive flavored variants such as Thanksgiving Malört and Pumpkin Spice Malört with all proceeds going to charity.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose is bright with a strong aroma of grapefruit oils from the zest and pith supported by the smell grapefruit flesh, white flowers, and a hefty dose of ethanol.

Palate: On the palate the liqueur is an interesting mix of flavors from all parts of the grapefruit. On the tip of the tongue there is sweetness reminiscent of ruby red grapefruit juice which then transitions to the milder sweetness and increased acidity found in pink grapefruit. As the Malört moves back across the tongue there is a crescendo of the bitterness that reaches a zenith of intense bitterness and a light tingling sensation like biting into a grapefruit rind.

Finish: The finish is very long, bitter and with a slight tingle. Here again grapefruit dominates and grips your tongue for dear life, refusing to let go.

Conclusion: While the flavor of Malört is a bit one dimensional, it is also highly underrated. Calling it the world’s worst liquor is all just hype and don't believe those exaggerated descriptions of burning rubber or dumpster fire. Malört is very intense, and if you are a fan of other bitter liqueurs such as fernet or Campari then you should give it a shot. Malört is in the same ballpark as these other, more well know bitters, just turned up to 11. And while it may be fun to torture your friends with shot, Malört can also be used successfully as a bittering agent in cocktails. It pairs, well with fresh citrus juice, works well in a spritz, and in the right proportions, it can play nicely with gin and other botanical infused spirits.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Komasa Jyozo

  Distilled & Bottled by: Kanosuke Distillery, Hioki, Japan

• Spirit Type: Japanese Single Malt Whisky

• Mash Bill: 10% Japanese Malted Barley, 90% Malted Barley from UK & Australia

• Still Type: Pot Stills

• Age: NAS (3-5 years)

• Strength: 48% ABV

• Price: $100

Yoshitsugu Komasa founded Kanosuke Distillery in 2014 and it opened in 2017. The distillery is named after Komasa's grandfather Kanosuke Komasa. Komasa comes from a family of shochu distillers who have been making single distilled mugi (barley) shochu since 1883. Before founding Kanosuke, Komasa earned a Master's degrees in brewing from Tokyo University's Graduate School and served as a General Manager at the family business, Komasa Jyozo. Later, Komasa studies whisky making in Scotland and the United States. Kanosuke Distillery uses three copper pot still with three different lyne arm angles to create different spirit profiles before it is aged for a minimum of three years.

For the Kanosuke Japanese Single Malt Whisky, Komasa blends whiskies that were distilled on each of their three pot stills and aged in a selection of re-charred ex-shochu casks, ex-sherry butts and ex-bourbon barrels. And, according Komasa, some of these whiskies contain a very small portion of peated malted for added depth.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The Nose is bright and inviting with notes of cereal grains, American biscuits with honey, and fresh sliced peach.

Palate: On the palate sweet nectarine and peach comes through right away followed by a touch of dry oak and a bit of maltiness.

Finish: The finish is light with lingering notes of malt and sweet stone fruit and just a touch of oak.

Conclusion: Kanosuke Single Malt Whisky is a very tasty dram that will excite those who like more malt forward whiskies that are not dominated by sherry or peat. For me, an $100 MSRP is a bit steep for a 3 to 5 year old malt but starting up a new distillery is also not a cheap endeavor. At 48% ABV the whisky has a nice presence in the glass that will mix well with water in a highball while being soft enough to enjoy neat. This is the first new Japanese whisky that I think really lives up to all the excitement that people had for Yamazaki when it exploded in popularity several years ago. And while it is not complex as that, I'm sure it will continue to develop more the longer it is allowed to age.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned, Distilled and Bottled by: New York Distilling Company

• Spirit Type: Bottled in Bond Rye Whiskey

• Mash Bill: 75% New York Rye (both Horton rye and Pedersen Field Race rye), 13% New York Corn, 12% Malted Barley

• Still Type: Hybrid Pot Still

• Age: NAS (7 Years)

• Strength: 50% ABV

• Price: $55

Allen Katz and Tom Potter founded New York Distilling Company in 2011 with vision to revive the long history of distilling in Brooklyn that stretches back to the 1700. Like many other New York distillers, Katz and Potter source locally grown grains for their whiskeys and even worked with Cornell University’s College of Agriculture to breathe new life into an almost extinct variety of heirloom rye.

 Jaywalk is made from a fermented mash of 75% New York rye, 13% New York corn and 12% malted barley. The rye is a combination of their Pedersen Field Race rye, a unique hybrid they developed with Farmer Rick Pedersen up in Seneca Falls and the Horton rye they revitalize with Cornell. The mash is distilled in their hybrid-pot sill and aged in new charred oak barrels for seven years before the whiskey makes its way into the bottle. Because this is bottled in bond it means that all the whiskey in the bottle was distilled in the same season (Jan-June, or July-Dec) and bottled at 50% ABV.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: On the nose there is a strong aroma of rye spice and oak followed by hints of vanilla, earth, and blackberries.

Palate: On the palate the whiskey is bold and spicy with notes of cinnamon, and clove, with a faint note of black licorice on the end the melds with an underlying fruitiness.

Finish: The finish begins warm from the alcohol and quickly transitions to flavors of blackberries, and plums and a note of coco powder.

Conclusion: The Jaywalk Bonded Straight Rye punches above its weight when it comes to flavor and for those who are fans of higher proof more complex whiskeys should give this a try. On the palate the alcohol is squarely in line at 100 proof and there is so much flavor, I struggle to imagine what the cask strength versions must be like. $55 for this 7-year-old bottled in bond rye form a craft distiller in New York is an incredible deal and is a good sign that as craft distilleries mature, they can continue to be competitive on both age statements and price with the heritage distillers. If you like your whiskeys to pack a big flavor punch, enjoy this neat, otherwise it will do well on the rocks, with a splash of water, and makes a great Manhattan.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned, Distilled and Bottled by: Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. Louisville, KY

• Mash Bill: Aproximatly 65-81% Corn, 10-20% Rye, 9-15% Malted Barley

• Still Type: Column Still with pot doubler

• Age: NAS (minimum 4 years old)

• Spirit Type:

• Strength: 53.55% ABV (Barrel Proof)

• Price: $79

Sometime in the early 1880s Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company was born out of the old Worsham Distilling Company in Henderson, KY. From 1889 to 1920 Peerless was overseen by Henry Kraver a pharmacist turned distiller. Fast Forward to 2014, Kraver's great-grandson Corky Taylor and his son, Carson Taylor revived the Peerless name, built a new distillery in Louisville, and reclaimed Peerless' old plant number DSP-KY-50. The distillery has six larger fermenters and a 26 foot (8m) column still that produces their new make. Peerless used two bourbon mash bills and a rye whiskey mash for all of their whiskeys. They each start off as a sweet mash (no backset added) which they say allows them to distill their whiskeys to a lower proof. The spirit then aged exclusivly in full size 53 gallon charred new oak barrels for a minimum of four years before being bottling at cask strength. Part of the Peerless promise is that their whiskeys are never chill-filtered and they never add water.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose is an intense and inviting mixture of warm oak, baking spices, apple sauce.

Palate: At over 107 proof the whiskey is hot which is not too surprising. After the heat subsides, there are big flavors of cinnamon, clove, apple sauce, oak, and just a touch of vanilla sweetness.

Finish: On the finsh the oak flavor is stronger followed by notes of dry tobacco, vanilla and apple juice.

Conclusion: Peerless true to form is a big whiskey with lots of flavor. The bourbon has a nice apple fruit flavor and is neithertoo sweet or over oaked. If you enjoy powerful whiskeys, be sure to look for this. Or if you like the idea of an apple and oak forward bourbon without the heat, add a bit of water to your glass and you will have more to enjoy.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: WhistlePig and Moët Hennessy

• Distilled by: Ross & Squibb (formerly MGP), Lawrenceburg, IN

• Blended by: WhistlePig, Shoreham, VT

• Spirit Type: Rye Whiskey

• Mash Bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley

• Still Type: Column Still

• Age: 12 Years

• Strength: 43% ABV

• Price: $160

Between 2007 and 2008, Raj Peter Bhakta founded WhistlePig and purchased 5,000 gallons of extra-aged Canadian rye whiskey from Alberta Distillers. The barrels were stored on a farm Bhakta purchased in Shoreham, VT and successfully launched their flagship expression, a 10-year-old 100% rye whiskey in 2010. Four years later, WhistlePig faced a class-action law suit claiming that it deceived its customers by not clearly stating on its label or website that the whiskey was distilled in Canada, however this suit was voluntarily dismissed in 2016. It was also around 2014 when Master Distiller Dave Pickerell helped WhistlePig source 12-year-old barrels or MGP's 95% rye whiskey and then finished it several Sauternes, Madeira, and Port casks. The result of which became their Old World Rye. Then in 2015, WhistlePig began the process of converting the 100-year-old barn on its Vermont estate into a distillery and two years later they released their first edition of WhistlePig Farmstock which was a blend of their 1-year-old rye, with 5-year-old Aberta rye, and 12-year-old MGP rye. Until their Vermont distilled rye gets much older it is likely WhistlePig will continue to source and blend from multiple sources including their own. Lastly, in 2019, WhistlePig sold a minority stake to a Chicago based investment firm which allowed Bhakta to fully exit the company. And in 2020, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy purchased a minority stake in the WhistlePig which gave Moët Hennessy rights to distribute the brand outside the US.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose is super bright and fruity with an underling layer of fennel and warm oak spice. The fruit is an intriguing mix of apple, pear, peach, blackberries, and raspberries.

Palate: On the palate there are notes of honey covered slices of peach, mixed with stronger oak and caramel flavors followed by a light note of fennel as the whiskey moves to the back of the palate.

Finish: The whiskey has a medium long finish with notes of oak and bright ripe plum.

Conclusion: Despite its 12-year age statement WhistlePig's Old World Rye is incredibly youthful and vibrant. And even with the variety of finishing barrels used the whiskey is not overly sweet and does a good job of melding into a single complex flavor rather than several distinct parts. This is definitely a sipping whiskey and as the question of whether it is worth $160 that depends on you, but I would say if you have the chance to try it at a bar, do so.

Mountain Laurel Spirits

Dad’s Hat Pensylvania Straight Rye Whiskey 47.5% ABV, MSRP $50

Herman Mihalich and John Cooper founded Mountain Laurel Spirits in 2011 with the singular goal of making Pennsylvania rye whiskey. Mihalich and Cooper named the brand in memory of Mihalich’s dad who always wore a hat when he left the house and particularly like Stetson fedoras made in Philadelphia. Dad’s Hat has earned a lot of attention for their whiskeys and in 2015, Whiskey Advocate named their Classic Rye its Craft Whiskey of the Year.

They source much of their grain from local farmers and their mash includes a mixture of 80% rye, 15% malted barley, and 5% malted rye. After fermentation, they double distilled the mash and mature the spirit in charred new oak barrels. Their straight rye is aged for a minimum of four years and bottled at 47.5% ABV.

The whiskey has an inviting aroma of fresh baked rye bread, molasses, a light grassy note from the malted rye, and just a hint of licorice. On the palate similar flavors carry over onto the tongue with notes of toasted rye bread spread with a thin layer of salted butter, followed by tobacco, dried peach, cherry, a hint of caramel and a pleasant grassy character. The whiskey has a long and warm finish that lingers with notes of fennel, rye, dried mint, and stone fruit. Dad's Hat Straight Rye is a delicious whiskey that is a great example of both Pennsylvania rye and judicious use of malted rye which adds a lot of complexity.

Coppersea Distilling

Bonticou Crag Straight Rye Malt Whisky Bottled in Bond 50% ABV, MSRP $118

Michael Kinstlick and Angus MacDonald founded Coppersea Distilling in 2012 with the vision of creating whiskeys as they were in the 18th and 19th Centuries before industrialization. MacDonald has since passed away but their distiller Christopher Williams carries on this ethos. He developed a system of floor malting their own grain, which in the 21st Century was almost a completely lost art. They even source their barrels from a local cooper who makes them from New York oak.

Coppersea works with local farmers to grow their grains, and Williams floor malts the rye before it is fermented and double distilled in direct fire copper pots stills. The spirit is then aged in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of four years and bottled at 50% ABV.

The nose is jam packed full of aromas of stone fruit, caramel brittle, vanilla, live oak, and fresh cut grass. On the palate there are flavors of fennel, salted caramel, vanilla, raisins, sweet cherries, dried pineapple, peaches and cream, maple syrup and sassafras, followed by a pronounced dryness from the oak tannins. Bonticou Crag is a beautiful voyage of flavor that deserves to be sipped neat or opened with just a splash of water. If you are a fan of complex whiskeys this is a must.

Liberty Pole Spirits

Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey 46% ABV, MSRP $47

Jim Hough and his wife Ellen founded Mingo Creek Craft Distillers in May 2016, and their son Kevin joined them a few months later working as the head distiller. The distillery gets its name from the Mingo Creek Society that gathered in 1794 to protest the first whiskey excised tax enacted by the US Government. One of their forms of protest were to plant liberty polls which were simple polls tied three strips of cloth that read No Excise Tax.

In their memory, the Hough’s make several whiskeys including two standard ryes which are both distilled from a mash of 61% rye, 13% red winter wheat, 13% malted rye, and 13% six-row distiller’s malt. Their Pennsylvania straight rye is double distilled, and aged in 53 gallon charred new oak barrels for a minimum of two years.

The whiskey has a lovely nose of warm rye bread, fennel, mint, green apple, and caramel. The first sip is very warm on the palate, but it gets softer with each successive drink. There are flavors of oak intermixed with strong rye bread flavors, softened with a touch of honey orange blossom. The finish is bright and lively with notes of menthol, fresh cherries and freshly made lemonade followed by a healthy dose of brown sugar. This is a very tasty rye whiskey with lots of rye character mixed with sweeter fruit notes that are well-balanced with oak. Liberty Pole rye is a must try.

Disobedient Spirits

1794 Rye Whiskey 45% ABV, MRSP $60

In 2012, Bob Begg a recently retired teacher from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his friend and fellow winemaker Bob Sechrist founded Disobedient Spirits. They began building their distillery the following year and opened to the public in December 2014. Today they produce a wide variety of spirits including several vodkas, gin, rum, brandy, and a few different whiskeys.

Their rye whiskey is distilled from a mash of rye grown in the Monongahela valley, along with malted rye, corn, and chocolate malted barley, and then aged for just three months in small barrels.

The aroma is savory with strong notes of rye grain, wasabi paste, oak leaves, and hint of molasses. On the palate the whiskey has strong grassy flavors from the malted rye mixed with pleasant notes of milk chocolate, that is like drinking a warm cup of hot coco in a pine forest, or enjoying a mug or Mexican chocolate with cinnamon. The finish is light with a bright mint chocolate flavor, and dry oak. At just 3 months old the whiskey is grain forward and Disobedient has done an excellent job with it. And if the idea of cinnamon chocolate in your whiskey without any artificial flavors or sweetness excites you, look for it.

When Abraham Overholt died in 1870, his company A. Overholt & Co. was well on its way to becoming one of the largest whiskey distillers in the country. Originally, the company branded its whiskey as Old Farm Pure Rye, but in 1888, 18 years after Abraham’s death, they renamed the brand Old Overholt and added his likeness to the logo in his honor. Up until Prohibition the distillery remained largely under family control but when Henry Clay Frick, the last remaining family member passed away in 1919 he left his ownership stake in the distillery to his friend and banking magnate Andrew Mellon. The following year President Harding selected Mellon to be his Secretary of the Treasury, and after a public pressure campaign Mellon sold the distillery to the New York grocers Park & Tilford. But before that, Mellon helped A. Overholt & Co. secure one of the very limited distilling licenses that allowed the company to continue producing “medicinal whiskey” throughout Prohibition. Because of this, Overholt survived while many other distilleries of that era closed, never to reopen.

After Prohibition, a new conglomerate called National Distillers purchased Overholt and continued making its eponymous whiskey at the A. Overholt Distillery in Broad Ford, PA. Old Overholt became one of the five core brands for National Distillers along with Old Taylor, Old Granddad, Old Crow, and Mount Vernon, a straight rye from Maryland. But, despite the post WWII economic boom rye whiskey sales were beginning to slow and in 1951, National Distillers closed the Broad Ford distillery though they continued to source Pennsylvania rye whiskey for the brand. As the years passed on and whiskey sales continued to slump into the 1980s, National Distillers eventually went broke and in 1987, the James B. Beam Distilling Company purchased Old Overholt, Old Crow, Old Granddad and Olt Taylor (which they eventually sold to Sazerac). At that point Beam decided to move production of Old Overholt from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, changed the mash bill to the minimum 51% rye and drop the bottling strength to 80 proof.

For about 27 years Old Overholt sat as bottom shelf whiskey overshowed by other more popular whiskeys in the Beam portfolio. In 2012, Beam dropped the 4 year aged statement down to 3, just as they had done with Old Corw. But, in 2013, something changed and Beam attempted to bring more attention to Old Overholt and its other “Old” whiskey brands, Old Crow, and Old Granddad. At that time nothing had substantially changed but in 2017, the now Beam Suntory began to get label approval for several new Old Overholt expressions. For the first time in about 30 years, Beam Suntory re-released a bonded version of Old Overholt which cause quite a buzz among whiskey writes and bartenders. And, two years later in 2019, Beam Suntory increased the standard bottling strength from 40% to 43% ABV. From then on there has been a steady release of new Old Overholt expressions which has helped to revitalize the brand from its bottom shelf ignominy to a brand that is once again well respected and sought after by American whiskey fans. It has been exciting to see Beam Suntory put some money and effort into supporting this historic brand by creating new and interesting offerings such as the return of the 4-year age statement on the standard bottle, the 11 Year Old Cask Strength, and the A. Overholt Straight Rye made with a traditional Pennsylvania rye whiskey mash bill. Hopefully this trend will continue and who knows what we will see in the future for this more than 200-year-old brand.

Below is a list of the Old Overholt label approvals that help tell the story of how Old Overholt moved from the bottom shelf to a well-respected brand.

• August 2012: Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey 40% ABV Three Years Old

• August 2017: Old Overholt Bonded Straight Rye Whiskey

• August 2019: Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey 43% ABV (still 3 years old)

• August 2019: Old Overholt Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey (new wording)

• March 2020: Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey 114 Proof 4 Year Special Release

• April 2020: Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey 11 Year 46.3% ABV

• November 2020: Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey 114 Proof Aged 4 Years

• October 2021: Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 4 Years 43% ABV

• April 2022: A. Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 4 Years 47.5% ABV

• April 2023: Old Overholt Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 10 Years

• September 2023: Old Overholt Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 11 Years

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Beam Suntory

• Distilled and Bottled by: James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, KY

• Spirit Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

• Mash Bill: 80% Rye, 20% Malted Barley

• Still Type: Column Still

• Age: 4 Years

• Strength: 47.5% ABV

• Price: $40

The Overholt brand dates to 1810 when Abraham Overholt turned his family’s farm distillery into a full-fledged business. The Overholt family were German Mennonites who in 1800 moved from Bucks County, north of Philadelphia, out west over the Alleghany Mountains to settle in what is today’s Westmoreland County. People who knew Abraham said he was both “frugal [and] industrious” which is evidenced by the fact that he grew his whiskey business from distilling a few gallons a day to more than 150 gallons in two decades. Abraham passed away in 1870 but his company A. Overholt & Co., and his whiskey continued to live on. In 1951, National Distillers closed the last A. Overholt distillery but the brand continued to source Pennsylvania style rye whiskey until its sale to Jim Beam in 1987. After that, Beam changed the mash bill to a Kentucky-style rye mash, presumable with just 51% rye. There is no public evidence for the original Old Overholt mash bill but in 2022, when Beam Suntory decided to release the A. Overholt rye, they claim that it was a mixture of 80% rye and 20% malted barley. This is a standard Pennsylvania rye mash bill so it is plausible they are telling the truth. Either way it is exciting to see Beam Suntory reviving a true Pennsylvania rye mash bill for his historic brand and there seem to be some rumblings that some distillation for Old Overholt may eventually return to Pennsylvania!

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose begins with delicate aromas of honeysuckle that gradually opens to bolder notes of rye spice and biscuits from the malted barley. The whiskey is very floral and has a note of orchard fruits like ripe pear, Fuji apples like some high-quality sakes.

Palate: On the palate the whiskey is soft and warm with notes of bread rolls, black pepper, cloves, and a hint of licorice. At the same time there are lighter fruit flavors reminiscent of apples and ripe cherries that hover over the comforting notes of warm spice.

Finish: The finish is long and warm like being wrapped in a soft blanket. Here again notes of apples and pear skins dance in harmony with light notes of oak and spice. As it slowly fades there is a slight residual acidity that calls you back for another sip.

Conclusion: A. Overholt Straight Rye is a very enjoyable whiskey and will be a good crossover rye for bourbon or single malt drinkers who are not accustomed to the intense spiciness that some ryes bring. While this is probably somewhat less intense than the original Overholt ryes coming out of Pennsylvania, I applaud Beam Suntory for experimenting with a new mash bill and from what I hear, there may be a plan to revive their rye distillation in Pennsylvania which is very exciting. This rye is easy to drink neat and while I don't find the alcohol too intense, a little splash of water won’t hurt it for those who want to bring it down slightly.

And, if you are interested in more detail on the history of distilling in New York you can find a whole chapter dedicated to Empire Rye in my book, The Atlas of Bourbon and American Whiskey.

New York Distilling Company

Jaywalk Straight Rye Whiskey 46% ABV, MSRP $50

Allen Katz and Tom Potter founded New York Distilling Company in 2011 with vision to revive the long history of distilling in Brooklyn that stretches back to the 1700. Like many other New York distillers, Katz and Potter have been dedicated to sourcing locally grown grains for their whiskeys and even worked with Cornell University’s College of Agriculture to breathe new life into an almost extinct variety of heirloom rye.

Jaywalk is made from a fermented mash of 75% New York rye, 13% New York corn and 12% malted barley. The rye is a combination of their Pedersen Field Race rye, a unique hybrid they developed with Farmer Rick Pedersen up in Seneca Falls and the Horton rye they revitalize with Cornell. The mash is distilled in their hybrid-pot sill and aged in new charred oak barrels for six to eight years before the whiskey makes its way into the bottle.

This is a very exciting whiskey. There are intense aromas and flavors of black pepper, oak and rye spice but these are supported by sweeter flavors of vanilla, light brown sugar, dried apricot, and ripe nectarines. Don’t be afraid to enjoy this neat, but if you find it a bit too intene then it will do well on the rocks or in your favorite cocktail. $50 for this 6+ year old Empire Rye is a solid buy.

Kings County Distillery

Empire Rye Straight Rye Whiskey 51% ABV, MSRP $99

Kings County Distillery was the first whiskey distillery in Brooklyn, New York to open since Prohibition. Like many other craft distilleries, they sourced locally grown grains and began by selling unaged corn whiskey and aged their bourbon in small barrels. However, over time they have gradually scaled up their barrels and their 375ml hip flasks have largely been replace by new 750ml bottles. In 2016, the American Distilling Institute named Kings County Distillery as their Distillery of the Year.

Their Empire Rye Is fermented from a mash of 80% New York-grown Danko rye and 20% English malted barley and double pot distilled in their Forsyth’s stills from Scotland. After distillation they are aged for a minimum of two years in Brooklyn though their recent releases have aged for at least 3 years.

The whiskey has lovely aromas caramel orchard fruit and baking spices. For a relatively young whiskey it has good structure and balance between flavors of oak, rye spice, fruit and caramels. Enjoy it neat, or with a splash of water, and it makes a fantastic New York Sour!

Great Jones Distilling Co.

Straight Rye Whiskey 45% ABV, MSRP $45

Great Jones has the distinction of being the first operating distillery on the island of Manhattan since Prohibition. They source their grain from their sister distillery in the Black Dirt region of New York near the boarder with Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Their whiskeys are made by their Head Distiller Celina Perez, who previously worked for a couple of other spirit companys as well as a bartender and a cheesemonger.

Their straight rye whiskey is made from a fermented mash of 100% New York-grown rye which is distilled in their copper column with pot still doubler. And because of fire concerns their barrels are filled and them moved off site from their NOHO distillery to age for a minimum of 4 years before it is then bottled at 90 proof.

On the nose there is an inviting aroma of warm rye bread and strawberry jam followed by notes of orange zest and vanilla. As it breaths aromas of cracked black pepper and light caramel that evolves into over ripe apricot and toasted oak. These flavors ontinue on the palate and slowly fade on the finish. This is a solid buy at $45 and is fun new edition to the world of New York rye whiskeys. It is well balanced, easy to sip neat, and will work on the rocks or in your preferred rye-based cocktail.

Finger Lakes Distilling

McKenzie Straight Rye Whiskey 45.5% ABV, MSRP $40

Since 2008 Finger Lakes Distilling has been making a wide array of spirits in New York's famed wine region. The Finger Lakes are in western New York and the cold winters are moderated by lakes that stripe the landscape. When the distillery opened their doors, there were no malt houses in the state so they built their own to malt NY grown barley.

Their rye whiskey is distilled from a fermented mash of 80% NY grown Danko rye, and 20% malted barley which is then aged in charred new oak barrels made from Missouri white oak that was yard seasoned for 36 months. The whiskey enters the barrel at 100 proof and after aging for a minimum of four years before it is then finish in casks that previously held locally made sherry style wines.

The whiskey has lots of fun flavors of fruit and herbs. There is a light sweetness and subtle notes of oak followed by stronger flavors of caramel, clove and bright green apple. McKenzie Straight Rye makes a nice pre-dinner aperitif or post-desert digestive. At 91 proof the whiskey is soft enough to enjoy neat or with a splash of water.

Honorable Mention

Since the founding of the Empire Rye Whiskey Association, it has expanded to 19 distilleries around New York. Here are a couple others that are also making Empire Rye.

Since 2015, Southern Tier Distilling Company has been making a variety of spirits including vodka, gin, whiskey, liqueurs and canned cocktails. Their stills were even built by one of their founders who previously worked as a welder and fabricator. Their rye whiskey is made from NY grown rye and corn, which after distillation is aged in new oak barrels with a heavy #4 char. The current bottlings of their Empire Rye are aged for a minimum of 6 years and bottled at 90 proof.

Black Button Distilling was founded by Jason Barrett who comes from a long line of world class tailors who have made closes for "Presidents, Popes, Kings, and Businessmen", hence the name. Built in Rochester, New York, Black Button is a grain-to-glass distillery with 100% of its ingredients grown in the Empire State. Today Black Button makes several spirits including vodka, gin, liqueurs, and whiskey. Their Empire Straight Rye Whiskey is made from a distilled mash of 94% Danko rye and 6% malted barley which is then aged for a minimum of 3 years before it is bottled unfiltered at 96 proof.

AT A GLANCE

Spirit Name: Maryland Rye Whiskey

Owned, Distilled and Bottled by: Sangfroid Distilling Hyattsville, MD

Spirit Type: Maryland Rye Whiskey

Mash Bill: Roughly 66% Rye, 33% Malted Balrey

Still Type: Pot Still

Age: 9-13 Months

Strength: 44.4% ABV

Price: $65

In 2018, Nate Groenendyk and Jeff Harne, two brothers-in-law founded Sangfroid Distilling with the goal of making brandy, rye whiskey, and Dutch-style gins. Their brandies are fermented from whole fruit grown on their own orchards, or nearby farmers in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Each brandy is distilled seasonally depending on when the fruit ripens and they only use the natural yeast on the fruit to ferment their sugars into alcohol. For their whiskeys and gins, they source all Maryland grown rye, spelt, and malted barley. Currently, their rye whiskey is aged for about nine months in 15 gallon charred new oak barrels before being bottled.

Quick note about what is Maryland rye whiskey. I have a whole chapter on it in my book The Atlas of Bourbon and American Whiskey but the Cliffs Notes version is that is was a style of whiskey made in Maryland, Northern Virginia, D.C. and Deleware that was prized in the 1800s for its quality and known generally to have a slightly sweeter profile than Pennsylvania rye whiskeys.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose is packed full of great rye grain aromas of fresh baked bread with a light drizzle of honey.

Palate: Once in the mouth it is like drinking sweet tea with strong dose a lemon followed by doughy rye bread rolls and a touch of cracked pepper spice.

Finish: The finish is soft and light with lingering notes of rye grain and sweet lemon.

Conclusion: At just 13 months Sangfroid’s Maryland Rye Wyhiskey is a very tasty whiskey that has a great youthful grain character which is perfectly seasoned with oak. Easy to drink neat but also works well in a highball.

AT A GLANCE

• Spirit: Old Grand-Dad 114 Kentucky Straigh Bourbon Whiskey

• Owned by: Beam Suntory

• Distilled and Bottled by: Jim Beam American Stillhouse, Clermont, KY

• Mash Bill: 63% Corn, 27% Rye, 10% Malted Barley

• Still Type: Column Still

• Age: NAS (minimum of 4 years)

• Strength: 57% ABV

• Price: $30

Old Grand-Dad bourbon is one of the few pre-prohibition brans that has survive to the present. In 1882, Colonel Raymond Bishop Hayden and his business partner F.L. Ferriell built the R.B. Hayden & Company Distillery, in Nelson County, Kentucky and created the Old Grand-Dad brand to honor the legacy of Hayden’s grandfather Meredith Basil Hayden, Sr. for whom the current Basil Hayden brad is also named after. Basil Hayden was born in Maryland to Catholic parents who fled persecution in England. In 1785 Hayden moved his family and a group of other Catholics to Nelson County, and began distilling three years later. Hayden was known for making bourbon with a high rye content so when Raymond Hayden created the brand, he too made a high rye bourbon.

In 1899, the Wathen family purchased the distillery and they continued selling Old Grand-Dad, preserving the legacy of Basil Hayden. During National Prohibition the Wathen family was able to secure a permit to continue distilling and selling medicinal alcohol. In 1929, National Distillers purchased the Old Taylor Distillery and the Old Grand-Dad brand from the Wathen’s and expanded the Old Grand-Dad line to include the 114 expression along with an 86 proof bottling and a bottled in bond.

Then in 1987, Beam purchased National Distillers which gave them ownership of the Old Crow, Old-Grand Dad and Old Taylor thought they eventually sold Old Taylor to Sazerac. Beam absorbed the Old Crow brand but did not keep its original mash bill but did keep the Old-Grand Dad high rye bourbon mash bill and yeast strain which they still use today.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: At 57% ABV the nose is surprisingly muted with notes of caramel, toffee, clove, and green apple slices dusted with cinnamon.

Palate: On the palate the alcohol is fairly moderate though the bourbon has an intense flavor of baked apple, baking spices, warm oak, and just hit of vanilla sweetness.

Finish: The whiskey has a long finish with lingering flavors of cinnamon apple, vanilla, and just a touch of caramel.

Conclusion: Old Grand-Dad 114 is a gem of a whiskey hidden in plain sight. This is a great example of how higher proof whiskeys can sometimes drink softer and with grater flavor intensity than at 80 proof. For these reasons it is no wonder that OGD 114 is a fan favorite of both experts and online bourbon communities. Lastly, if you are a fan of Jim Beam bourbons or find some of their 80 proof offerings somewhat lackluster, this higher proof bottling has a good chance of winning you over.

If you are a dedicated rum fan or just looking to explore the rum world beyond the five major brands, here are four of the best aged rums being made in the US. And while there are many others, this is a good place to start.

Oxbow Rum Distillery

Barrel Aged Straight Rum 47.5% ABV, MSRP $40

Oxbow is one of a very small number of truly estate-distilled rums. This means that they control the entire process from planting the sugar cane in their rich Louisiana soil, to the processing of their own grade A molasses, and on to fermentation, distilling, aging and bottling.

Their barrel aged straight rum is aged for a minimum of two years in new charred oak barrels which helps to give it great depth and complexity. The run is a symphony of flavors with notes of dried fruit, baking spices, oak, vanilla and a very subtle perception of sweetness. Unlike some other rums this has absolutely zero sugar added after distillation and bottling. All of the perceived sweetness comes from their high-quality molasses and patient maturation in oak.

Oxbow has not taken any shortcuts with this rum and if you are looking for a new aged rum to enjoy or you are a fan of brandies such as cognac or armagnac there is a very good chance you will love this too. Enjoy Oxbow’s aged rum on neat, on the rocks or in your favorite rum cocktail.

Roulaison Distilling Co

Barrel Aged Reserve Rum 47% ABV, MSRP $40

Andrew Lohfeld and Patrick Hernandez founded Roulaison Distilling Co in 2016 as a tribute to the long history and culture of cane cultivation and rum making in Louisiana. Roulaison is a French term that refers to the cane harvest season that in Louisiana can span from September to January.

The rum starts with 100% Louisiana grade B molasses which is fermented in separate batches with two different yeast strains to create two distinct marks (rum bases that can be blended later to create a more complex flavor). The washes are then double pot distilled and some is then matured in used oak barrels at or below 110 proof. After about 3 years of aging, barrels of their rum marks are blended and their Barrel Aged Reserve rum is bottled at 47% ABV.

The rum is complex from the first aroma all the way through to the finish. The spirit and oak have combined to create a new unique whole that is greater than the sum of its parts with sweet notes of creme brulee, followed with floral notes, bright citrus, oak and a resonate earthiness.

If you enjoy higher proof spirits you can definitely enjoy this neat, but with a healthy splash of water the flavors widen and allow you more time to enjoy them. Roulaison’s Barrel Aged rum will also work nicely in cocktails such as a rum negroni, rum flip or a Test Pilot.

Maggie’s Farm Rum

Queen’s Share Rum 57% ABV, MSRP $65

While Pittsburgh is not the most obvious location for a rum distillery, Maggie’s Farm has been distilling great spirits in the Steel City for more than a decade. All their rums begin by fermenting and pot distilling a wash of turbinado sugar. The Queen’s Share is made by collecting all of the tails from their regular runs until they have enough to redistill one more time. This oily spirit is then aged in oak barrels until it is ready and bottled at cask strength.

The rum is slightly coy with a light aroma of toasted oak, vanilla, and orange zest. However, on the palate there is an explosion of flavor with deep notes of leather, caramel, orange oil and baking spices. Overall, their Queen’s share is rich with an almost oily texture that makes it a truly regal spirit.

Enjoy this slowly either neat or with a small dash of water. But if you were to use it in a cocktail the Corn n' Oil is an obvious choice.

South Hollow Spirits

Twenty Boat Cask Finished Reserve Rum 42.5% ABV, MSRP $100

Founded in 2012, South Hollow Spirits is the first legal distillery on Cape Cod since prohibition. The name Twenty Boat comes from an incident in 1930 when 20 police and Coast Guard boats were dispatched to apprehend a bootlegger who evaded capture during a sting where 250 gallons of rum were confiscated and 10 other men arrested.

Twenty Boat rums begin by making a couple different marks by separately fermenting and distilling washes made from molasses and evaporated cane juice. After being double distilled in their 250-gallon pot still the marks are matured between two and three years in used chardonnay and ex-whiskey barrels. For the Reserve Rum a blend of their marks is selected and then finished in white or red port barrels to add complexity and a light sweetness.

Twenty Boat Reserve Rum is an elegant spirit that is simultaneously light in body but full of deep and dark flavors. The rum is packed full of dark and dried fruits, molasses, baking spices, roasted nuts and rounded out with a light oak character.

At 42.5% ABV this Reserve Rum dances across the tongue like sugar-plum fairies. The elements of oak and spirit are well integrated and it would not surprise me if South Hollow Spirits was using the French style of slow reduction, where the spirit is brought down to bottling strength over weeks or months rather than in a single day. This is definitely a rum to enjoy neat or with just a drop of water to further explore the depts of its flavor.

Honorable Mention

Two of the earliest new American rum distilleries to launch at the beginning of the Craft Distillery boom were Privateer Rum in Ipswich, Massachusetts and Richland Rum in Brunswick, Georgia. Privateer sought to revive the long tradition of rum distilling in New England and Richland was the first estate rum produced in US in the 21st Century.

Privateer starts with grade A molasses imported from Guatemala which is fermented with their own special blend of yeasts. After fermentation the wash is first pot distilled and then distilled a second time in their hybrid still which allows them to engage or disengage plates in an attached column so they can create rums with varying levels of intensity which they can later blend or age to create their different rum profiles. If you are new to Privateer, try their New England Reserve Rum or their Bottled in Bond Rum.

Richland Rum grows their own sugar cane on the southeastern coast of Georgia. The cane is harvested, pressed and then lightly cooked into a cane syrup which removes some of the excess water, concentrates the cane flavors and creates new flavors from the caramelization process. The cane syrup is fermented and then double pot distilled. Their aged rums start out in toasted and then charred new oak barrels and are usually matured between four and five years for their “Classic” expression. While Richland now offers a variety of cask strength and finished rums, if you are new to their style start with their Classic Single Barrel Select Rum.

AT A GLANCE

• Spirit: Florida Straight Bourbon Whiskey

• Owned, Distilled and Bottled by: St. Augustine Distillery, St. Augustine, FL

• Spirit Type: Bourbon

• Mash Bill: 60% Florida Corn, 22% Malted Barley, 18% Florida Wheat

• Still Type: Pot Still

• Aged: Aged 3 Years

• Strength: 44% ABV

• Price: $50

This summer I got to visit St. Augustine Distillery, right before they were name the 2024 Distillery of the Year by the American Distilling Institute. Philip McDaniel and Mike Diaz opened the distillery in 2014 and released Florida’s first bourbon in 2016. McDaniel and Diaz solicited the help of Master Distiller Dave Pickerell who helped them develop their wheated mash bill using local grains and a maturation plan for how to age their bourbon in the hot and humid Florida climate.

Over the last eight years, the age statement on their bourbon has only crept up from two to three years. And while many whiskey fans have been conditioned to only think older is better, St. Augustine’s Florida Straight Bourbon is a good example of how hotter climates can, in the right hands, produce a more mature tasting whiskey in less time. With over 175,000 annual visitors, I believe the results speak for themselves. Their Florida Straight Bourbon is perfectly crafted for their unique location and they are making what I believe to be the most underrated wheated bourbon in the country.

Tasting Notes

Nose: The bourbon opens with an inviting aroma of vanilla caramel and a touch of green apple. Underneath that are warm smells of baked bread and toasted wood with just a hint of sweet cherries and cloves.

Palate: At first sip the whiskey has a slight bight of cinnamon that then softens on the tongue. There is a pronounced grain and oak character followed by notes tobacco, vanilla, and a hint of candied orange peel.

Finish: The finish has a light sweetness with lingering notes of oak, tobacco and leather.

Conclusion: Yes St. Augustine's Florida Straight Bourbon is a touch young but the whiskey is a testament to the skill and ingenuity of the team to craft a very good wheated bourbon in their hot and humid environment. For those who like their bourbons a little lighter and with less oak, this is a good fit. I have enjoyed drinking this neat, on the rocks, with water and in an Old Fashioned. I have also observed that having a pour half way through the bottle is a more enjoyable experience than when you first crack it open, which tells me that a little aeration won’t hurt. If you are a fan of Maker's Mark and have been looking for something new to scratch that wheated bourbon itch, I cannot recommend this more. I am also confident that as they are able to gradually push the age of their whiskey some of the young grain quality will fall away and you will see that St. Augustine's is making one of the most underrated wheated bourbons outside of Kentucky.

AT A GLANCE

• Name: Small Batch Straight Rye Whiskey

• Owned by: Illva Saronno, Lombardy, Italy

• Distilled and Bottled by: Sagamore Spirit

• Spirit Type: Rye Whiskey

• Mash Bills: High Rye: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barly; Low Rye: 52% Rye, 43% Corn, 5% Malted Barley

• Still Type: Column Still with Two Copper Doublers

• Age: NAS (4-6 years)

• Strength: 46.5%

• Price: $39

Kevin Plank, CEO of Uder Armour founded Sagamore Spirits in 2013 but construction of their Baltimore distillery did not begin until 2015. As the build out progressed Sagamore began sorcing aged rye from MGP (now Ross & Squibb Distillery) in Lawrenceburge, IN and had them contract distill new make for them. Sagamore's 22,000 square food ditillery opened in April 2017 and they got straight to work distilling two rye mashbills on their 24 inch column still from Vendome. On the label and in some of their marketing you might notice they claim their whiskey is triple distilled which is unusual outside of Irish whiskey. Looking into it I discovered that their column still is connected to two doublers (esentially pot stills) so the spirit gets distilled once in the column, and two more times in the doublers. While this would probably not count as triple distilled in Ireland, it is effective at making a good base spirit.

Sagamore is one of a number of distilleries looking to revieve the old style of Maryland Rye Whiskey that was popular from about 1850 to 1950 and completly dissapeard in the 1980s. In general, Maryland rye was know for being sweeter than ryes coming out of Pennsylvania and so Sagamore took two rye whiskey mash bills from MGP (one high and one low rye contnet) and blended them together to land around where a historic Maryland rye might have been. If you are interested to learn more about Maryland rye you find a whole chapter about it in my book The Atlas of Bourbon & American Whiskey.

Sagamore began selling their sourced whiskey in May 2016, and in 2021 they released their first bottles of 100% Maryland distilled and aged rye as a Bottled in Bond. Then in May 2024 Sagamore released the first bottles of their Small Batch (Maryland) Stright Rye Whiskey which completed their transition from fully sourced whiskey, to a blend of sourced and in-house whiskey and now all their own aged whiskey. This is a historic milestone because while there are several Maryland distillers making good rye, Sagamore is the only one currently with a national reach that reintroduce Maryland rye to the broader public.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: On the nose there are notes of molasses followed by lighter notes of vanilla, honey, warm rye bread, carraway, and oak. As the it opens light notes of dill and wintergreen rise up.

Palate: On the palate there is a nice light sweetness or caramel and vanilla that slips across the tongue light and warm. The whiskey has light peach character followed by flavors of oak and a light grassy note but without any bitterness or astringency.

Finish: The finish is long and savory with notes of oak, dill and candied orange peal with a light sweetness.

Conclusion: Sagamore Straight Rye is an excellent whiskey, a strong addition to the story of Maryland rye and the best new rye whiskey I’ve had in 2024. If you are curious to taste Maryland rye this is an excelent place to begin. This whiskey is very veritile and can easily be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, with water or in your favorite cocktail. If you are a fan of rye this definitly one you should look for and enjoy.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Campari Group

• Distilled and Bottled by: Wilderness Trail Distillery, Danville, KY

• Spirit Type: Bourbon

• Mash Bill: 64% Corn, 24% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley

• Still Type: Column

• Age: Bottled in Bond (minimum 4 years)

• Strength: 50% ABV

• Price: $55

In 2012 after a decade of working as fermentation consultants for other distilleries and alcohol produces, Shane Baker and Pat Heist founded Wilderness Trail Distillery. As with other start-up distilleries, Wilderness Trail began by selling their vodka and an aged spirit distilled from sorghum molasses while their bourbon aged. And rather than developing just one whiskey, Baker and Heist, make three, a wheated bourbon, and a high-rye bourbon and a rye whiskey made from a mash of 56% rye, 33% corn, and 11% malted barley. Wilderness Trail has slowly built a steady following and grew their distribution across the country. Then, in November 2022, Campari Group purchased a 70% stake in Wilderness Trail for $600 million.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The whiskey has a lovely aroma of dark caramel, with softer notes of vanilla and sweet cinnamon.

Palate: On the palate the bourbon is velvety, umptious, and tick with rich caramel, vanilla, toffee, sweet cherry, and ripe nectarine, balanced with warm notes oak and baking spices.

Finish: On the finish, more of the vanilla and oak flavors come forward with bright notes of hot cinnamon mingled with the alcohol.

Conclusion: Wilderness trail is hands down one of the best new bourbons to hit store shelves in a long time. Despite its 50% ABV bottling strength the whiskey is not overly hot and leans toward the sweeter side of the bourbon flavor spectrum. If it is available in your area, do yourself a favor and buy a bottle.

Recently I have been spending more time lurking on the r/bourbon subreddit and watching a variety of Whiskey Tube channels to get a sense of how engaged consumers are talking about American whiskey and what they think is worth spending their money on. One of the more common axioms in these spaces is the idea that a fair retail price for a bottle of bourbon or rye whiskey is around $10 for each year it aged in a barrel. At first glance I can understand where this idea might have come from but if we interrogate the idea, it quickly breaks down.

Most whiskey fans are well aware of angel’s share, the fact that spirits stored in oak barrels slowly evaporates so the volume of liquid that went in is not how much that comes out after four, eight or twelve years. Because of angel’s share, there is a real cost for distillers to age a whiskey longer because there will be less of it each extra year they wait before bottling. So, in real terms older whiskey costs a distiller more to bottle than younger whiskey. However, as the production capacity of a distillery grows, they are able to produce the same whiskey with greater economies of scale because buying grain by the truck loads or rail cars costs less per pound than by 2000lb totes. The same is also true for any other hard goods like bottles, labels, or closures. Large distilleries are also more efficient with their time since there is less down time for their stills and fermenters compared to small distillers that can only run one or two production shifts with significant down time for their equipment. So generally smaller distilleries have higher fixed cost per bottle because they are less “efficient” with their capital. This is why a blanket price metric doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Many craft bourbons and rye whiskeys are priced higher than $10 per year of age because of these higher fixed costs and a more constrained supply. Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon and Old Crow Bourbon are both aged for three years but the former retails for $80 a bottle and the later sits on the bottom shelf at about $12 for 750ml. Garrison Brothers is pot distilled using a more expensive locally grown corn, and the intense climate in the Texas Hill Country means they have a much higher angel’s share than most Kentucky Bourbons. Despite having the same age statement these are two very different bourbons and even if you don’t know all the exact production details, on taste alone, $30 for Old Crow would be highway robbery and an incredible deal for Garrison Brothers.

Conversely, many great bourbons from the heritage distillers in Kentucky and Tennessee are priced below $10 per year. Russel’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon retails for about $44 and George Dickel Bottled in Bond which ranges between 11 and 13 years old has a suggested retail price of $40! Now I would be willing to pay a little more for these because the quality is there, I also have no interest in paying $100 or more for these whiskeys just because of their age. In reality the price for these whiskeys is not just about age. Weller 12 Year Old has an SRP around $43 but you’d be lucky to find it most places below $150 because of its limited availability and the all the hype around it and Pappy Van Winkle.

Now whether it is worth it to you to pay $200 for Weller 12, $40 for George Dickel BIB at 13 years or less than $20 for the four year old Evan Williams Bottled in Bond is a completely subjective decision informed by your income and what you value. But the idea that it is “fair” to pay $10 per year of age for American whiskey is a silly metric that doesn’t reflect the whiskey market. In reality, this just sounds like a made up “fact” that some salesman came up with as a way to convince people that its ok for them to spend $80 on an otherwise mid 8 year old whiskey.

Buy what you like and spend what you feel comfortable with but I’m sorry to say that setting a fair price for bourbon and rye whiskey is more complicated than simply how long it was aged.