The Very Olde St. Nick Cask Strength Harvest Rye Whiskey is a testament to the artistry of whiskey-making. Distilled with precision and aged to perfection, this expression showcases the robust flavors of rye in its purest form. With its high proof and bold character, it offers a sensory journey marked by spicy notes, rich oakiness, and a lingering warmth. Ideal for aficionados seeking a powerful and unforgettable whiskey experience.

Maker Notes

Back in 1849 when everyone else was using a rye mashbill, we pioneered wheat-based bourbon. And it’s this award-winning wheated recipe that continues to defy trends today. Rebel Bourbon is unapologetically original and brazenly bold.

Rebel 100 Proof Rye Whiskey may be a straight rye, but there’s nothing ordinary about it. This full-bodied whiskey’s got backbone with a bold rye flavor and solid mix of sweet and spice.

TASTING NOTES

A spicy nose opens up into rich yet unpretentious rye flavor balanced by hints of vanilla that’ll keep you on your toes.   

INGREDIENTS
Rye, corn, and malt

AWARDS

Platinum - Medal SIP Awards, 2018

Double Gold Medal - San Francisco World Spirit Competition, 2016

Maker Notes

Tim Smith Spirits - Created by the legendary Moonshiner  
We’ve been doing what we love for generations… even when forced to do it on the wrong side of the law -we’ve never stopped. Its in our roots, engraved in our soul – it’s our family history. Recipes crafted mountain deep, in the light of the moon, shared down by word of mouth, generation to generation. Making booze on the edge of legality.

Southern Reserve Rye: Golden amber in appearance. Notes of spicy toasted American oak give way to the gentle warm finish of sweet rye and caramel.

Our newest addition to the family is making a name for itself by becoming our first rye whiskey with this distinguished of an age statement.

Bottled at 80 proof, the mashbill features a slightly spicy, yet approachable, rye resulting in an elegantly complex taste profile and a golden honey hue. This light, yet full-flavored, rye is sure to please any palate. Serving neat, with a drop of water, or on the rocks opens up all of the flavors that were developed from ten years of aging, such as spice, oak, caramel, and tobacco. This rye can be easily enjoyed without the burn associated with higher-proof whiskeys.

Tasting Notes

AROMA: Sweet vanilla and oak with a touch of light fruit

TASTE: Approachable spice and oak notes with hints of caramel

FINISH: Faint tobacco and warm cinnamon heat

COLOR: Golden honey

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. Every fall Pinhook features an annual vintage of Pinhook Bourbon and Pinhook Rye, each of which is inspired by a thoroughbred horse. Each blend is as unique as the horse on the label. Pinhooking refers to an old Kentucky term for purchasing young thoroughbreds, holding them until they mature, and selling them when they are ready to run. Successful pinhooks much like whiskey - are made on instinct, experience, an appreciation of quality, and a little luck. Pinhook bourbons and ryes are handcrafted to reflect the richness of the Kentucky soil and the character of its beautiful horse country. Limited to a blend of only 65 barrels, this Rye Humor Cask Strength release is the first edition of barrel proof straight rye whiskey from Pinhook. Blended by Sean Josephs at Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, KY the average age of the barrels is around 4 years old. You can expect deep and dense aromas of dark chocolate, candied black licorice, and vanilla extract, followed by robust flavors of raisins, tobacco, cinnamon stick, and sarsaparilla.

Beyond the Label
In celebration of the spirit of Mardi Gras and the pride of Louisiana, this limited edition expression of Kentucky Owl Straight Rye Whiskey has been gently aged for 11 years before sleeping a further year in a selection of rare Bayou XO casks to create and mature into a unique Rye Whiskey of outstanding quality and flavor.

Scent and flavor

Nose
A robust toasted rye bread with notes of farm fresh sweet butter, hints of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg fill out the alluring aroma.

Palate
Robust, flavorful straight rye whiskey. In addition to the Rye, there is an immediate sensation of sweet butter combined with allspice. The sweetness of the Bayou Rum XO finish mingles across the tongue with the rye and spices, for a fresh unique flavor.

Finish
Smooth, with the sweetness of butter and allspice giving way to a long and pleasant nutmeg sensation in the throat.

Maker Notes

Rye Whiskey has deep roots in the story of American Whiskey.  When the colonists pushed out British Rum they didn’t give up drinking,  they just started making whiskey – Rye Whiskey.  Even George Washington had his own still at Mount Vernon, and made a Rye Whiskey for sale.  It was an unaged, unfiltered white lightning, but he double distilled it and sent it off to market. Early in his presidency, Washington imposed a tax on all whiskey made in the US.   The Rye Whiskey makers of western Pennsylvania objected to the tax and started the Whiskey Rebellion.   President Washington himself saddled up and led a Federal Militia into Pennsylvania to put down the insurrection.   Facing the Father of the Country backed by 12000 troops, the rebel farmers and distillers quietly dispersed. Not a shot was fired, and the rebellion came to an end.  The authority of the new national government was upheld, and Rye Whiskey – duly taxed – again flowed freely into pubs throughout country. Rye Whiskey remained popular until prohibition wiped out American Distilling.  Americans got used to the milder, simpler, lighter Canadian whiskey smuggled in during Prohibition.  After Repeal,  Rye Whiskey never reestablished itself.   Until now.  As the community has re-embraced bourbon and rich American Whiskeys over the past few years they have rediscovered Rye.  Rye is the fastest growing premium spirit in the world today.   Its complex flavors are easy to drink straight and add tremendous depth to cocktails.Riptide is CALI Distillery’s idea of a perfect small batch Rye Whiskey.   It is 93% rye with just enough malted barley to drive the fermentation process.  We are so enamored of this mash bill, that we do our best to bottle it as purely as it comes out of the single barrel.   Cask Strength, this 118 proof spirit has a beautiful amber color and an earthy overtone.  The rich butterscotch notes of oak complement the underlying spice of the Rye to make an incredibly smooth Rye Whiskey.

Steve Beam launched Limestone Branch Distillers, Inc. in October 2010, and coming from a long line of distillers, the distillery is truly a family affair. Located in Lebanon, Kentucky, the location was chosen for its location, just a stone's throw away from the now-long-gone distilleries of the family's past. This setting, in addition to the local grain and limestone water, is crucial to the unique and personal recipes, of limestone distillery products. The mission of Minor Case whiskey is to create a genuine and uncompromised product, using long-standing whiskey-making traditions. Minor Case Whiskey explores what might have been had the talent-fueled M. C. Beam had the opportunity to have his stills unsilenced, and his production reawakened throughout prohibition. Minor Case is a tribute to the man with unwavering passion and the product he sought to create.

Bold and spicy Bourbon, Made from 20 barrels, in small batches, Aged a minimum of 4 years, 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Barley

Limited Edition

Boxergrail Single Barrel

For our second Single Barrel release, we have hand-selected casks from an extremely limited number of Boxergrail Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey barrels. Each is a study in patience and creativity. To complement this one-of-a-kind whiskey, the packaging for each season of barrel releases will be unique and feature a different series of six original Limited Edition illustrations commissioned by our Founder, Kaveh Zamanian. The result is a true work of art inside and out that could only be bottled at cask strength.

Artist Series Labels

Six different label designs featuring artwork commissioned by our Founder, Kaveh Zamanian, from renown artist Sue Todd. Each 6-bottle case will contain a bottle with each label design.

Cask Strength

Boxergrail Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey with a sour mash rye mash bill bottled at full cask strength. Proof will vary by bottle - but will generally fall between 100 and 125.

Limited Edition

Approximately only 150-200 bottles produced at 750mL. Yield will vary by barrel.

The Barrel

Aged in #3, wood-fired, toasted & charred new American Oak barrels for 4+ years.

Work of Art

A one-of-a-kind work of art inside and out, Rabbit Hole Single Barrel is a private barrel selection platform that combines our commitment to originality and creativity in whiskey making with our passion for bringing to life original works of art.

Sue Todd

The bottles from all 10 barrels of Rabbit Hole’s Boxergrail Single Barrel release will feature the illustrations of the award-winning scratchboard illustrator Sue Todd. Kaveh commissioned Sue to create linocut prints of the classic Lewis Carroll characters and the result is six, vibrant illustrations featuring Alice, The White Rabbit, The Hatter, The Queen, The Catepillar and The Footman. Each six-bottle case will contain a bottle with each label design and features special glass and cork sourced exclusively for the Single Barrel program.

Pikesville Rye traces its Maryland roots all the way back to the Civil War from 1861-1865, the Civil War drew thousands of outsiders to Maryland, outsiders who would grow accustomed to the state's particular style of rye whiskey. After the war's end, these people returned to their homes with a lingering thirst for Maryland rye, and a few pioneering businessmen with the help of a recently-improved railway infrastructure began to produce and sell this style of whiskey all across the country. One such producer was the L. Winand and Brothers Distillery, which was founded in Scott's Level (just northwest of Baltimore), Maryland in 1895. The distillery began producing its flagship product Pikesville Rye, named after the adjacent town shortly thereafter, choosing the name because Scott's Level sounded too much like Scotch. After the passage of Prohibition, L. Winand and Brothers Distillery was forced to close, and though subsequent owners Pikesville continued to distill the whisky in Maryland until 1972, the brand was ultimately sold to Heaven Hill in 1982, making it the last-standing Maryland rye whiskey. Produced today at the famous Bernheim Distillery in Kentucky, Pikeville has maintained its popular status in Baltimore after all these years. Crafted by Heaven Hills Co-Master Distiller Denny Potter, Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey is made from a mash of rye, corn and barley, and evokes the spicy character of traditional Maryland rye whiskies. To set it apart from other ryes, I selected barrels at a minimum of six years old from high storage and bottled it at a proof that allows the most character from the barrel to come through without overpowering the spicy grain notes, says Potter. As a result, Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey has a pale copper color and an aroma of dark cocoa and burnt oak. The palate is filled with layers of honey, clover and white chocolate, and leads to a finish accented by vanilla bean, butterscotch candy, maple syrup and caramel. Pikesville Straight Rye Whisky won a Double Gold at the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and earned 95 points at the 2015 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

Manhattan Finish : Awarded 94-points from the Beverage Testing Institute.

We finished our straight rye whiskey in vermouth, bitters, and cherry brandy barrels to create a unique Manhattan Finished Rye Whiskey. Herbaceous undertones and fresh cherry sweetness make this an incredible whiskey to mix into its namesake, or savour on its own.

Tasting Notes

PALATE: Spicy herbaceous, bright cherry, vanilla, honey, a touch of dryness at the finish.

PROOF: 103 (51.5% ABV)

AGE: 4 – 5 Years

It took over 70 years after the prohibition had ended for the distilling industry to return to New York City. New York had a flourishing distilling industry by the early 19th century, however things changed during the Civil War, when President Lincoln taxed spirits to fund the military. This resulted in many distilleries going underground before the end of the century. The fatal blow for the legal distilling industry in US came in 1920, when the Eighteenth Amendment came into effect making the production of alcohol illegal. It was only in the 21st century that small distilleries started resurging in New York. The New York Distilling Company, located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is one of the oldest distilleries in the city, and was founded in 2011 by Tom Potter, a co-founder of the Brooklyn Brewery, and Allen Katz, one of the nation's leading experts on distilled spirits and cocktails. The distillery specializes in gins and rye whiskeys and has been one of the pioneers of the city's distilling renaissance that builds upon the pre-prohibition heritage. Gin distilling in New York began in the 17th century, when Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam (as New York was then called) started making a version of the Dutch spirit genever. However, it wasn't until the early 19th century when the first commercial gin was produced in the US. Gin was a popular drink during the prohibition, as it was simple to make. American gin is a bit different from London and other European gins as a result of using other botanicals. Ragtime Applejack Barrel Finished Rye Whiskey brings together two traditional strong drinks from the northeast US rye whiskey and applejack, which was most probably the first spirit to be produced in the first New York State distillery built in 1640. This whiskey is a version of the distillery's flagship Straight Rye Whiskey. After aging for two years in oak, the rye whiskey is finished for 90 days in barrels that previously held applejack in New York's Black Dirt Distillery.

About the Brand

Who is crazy enough to start a whiskey company from scratch, in the hills of West Virginia, in a world filled with hundred-year-old Kentucky distilleries? Folks with a fiercely independent spirit, that’s who.

At Smooth Ambler, tradition isn’t a recipe we follow. Our company is literal proof of solid Appalachian know-how. That’s when the hard-working, creative, and resourceful folks of West Virginia come together to make something beautiful (and damn good) that no one else thought possible.

We didn’t just set out to make award-winning whiskey. We also set out to create a source of pride for West Virginians everywhere.

To embrace the best of everything around us - the land, the people, and the resources – to create a business that would make a difference by providing opportunities for the people in our community.

And the way we do it is simple, we do what we think is right, every day. We don’t look to see what our competitors are doing, we don’t look at the past, we do it by being honest, embracing diversity, and creating relationships built on trust.

It’s not complicated, it's the only way we know how to do it.

So yeah, we’re not from Kentucky, but if you couldn’t already tell, we like it that way. Because it turns out you can make bourbon in West Virginia, too. And you don’t need a family name or recipe to make that award-winning whiskey, you just need a fiercely independent spirit. - JL

Our Founders Cask Strength Series is a homemade juice that lets the West Virginia seasons do their thing, and we like that pace. Our mild climate and infusion cooking method makes our rye hit different. It might just take you a second to put your finger on it. Perhaps a second sip?
Our Founders are lovingly sharing this rye recipe with y’all, it’s your choice to share it with your friends, or keep it all to yourself.

Notes: Toasted Oak, Toffee, Sweet Black Tea, Subtle Herb Spice

Private Reserve is distilled using a 100% rye grain Prohibition-era bootlegger's recipe. It is aged in two used oak barrels for at least 18 months. It has won more awards than we can name.

Sextro Rye Red Label Cask Strength Whiskey is a meticulously crafted spirit that showcases the bold essence of rye in its purest form. Aged to enhance its rich character, this whiskey unfolds with layers of toasted oak, dark chocolate, and warm spices like cinnamon and clove, creating a symphony of flavors. The rye’s natural sweetness balances the robust spiciness, offering delicate notes of caramel and vanilla intertwined with a subtle earthiness. The whiskey's texture is velvety, leading to a long, lingering finish that exudes warmth and complexity. Ideal for savoring neat or with a splash of water, Sextro Rye Red Label is a whiskey for those who appreciate nuanced depth and rich flavor. Royal Batch provides an excellent platform for enthusiasts to discover this exceptional rye, offering an unparalleled drinking experience.

In early 2015, Crown Royal added to its growing collection of whiskies with the release of Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky. Made from a mash of 90% rye grains, Northern Harvest Rye is Crown Royal's first-ever rye whisky.

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky is made from Canadian rye grain, certified by the #1 Canadian Western. The rye is planted in the fall, and sprouts until blanketed by soft winter snow. After the snow melts, the rye completes its growth, maturing over the spring and summer, and yielding a perfectly smooth rye grain for whisky.

The whisky is unusually fruity for a rye, with an aroma of apple pie, cereal and mild spices. The aroma gives way to an extraordinarily smooth flavor profile, with more apple, custard and caramel, while the typical rye spiciness picks up. The finished is well-balanced, smooth and creamy.

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye has been named the 2016 World Whisky of the year by Jim Murray's Whisky Bible. The first Canadian whisky to receive this honor, its lightly spiced nose, rich butterscotch & spiced vanilla palate, and smooth & creamy finish are not to be missed.

"To say this is a masterpiece is barely doing it justice." The Whisky Bible

Bulleit Rye is an award-winning, straight rye whiskey with a character of unparalleled spice and complexity. Released in 2011, it continues to enjoy recognition as one of the highest quality ryes available.

TASTING NOTES: Russet in color, with rich oaky aromas. The taste is exceptionally smooth, with hints of vanilla, honey, and spice. Finish is crisp and clean, with long, lingering flavors. 90 proof (45% ABV) • 95% rye, 5% malted barley

AWARDS

San Francisco World Spirits Competition  - 2013, 2011: Double Gold Medal | 2015, 2014, 2012: Gold Medal

Beverage Testing Institute - 2012: Gold Medal, Exceptional

Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2014: 95, Chairman’s Trophy, Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation | 2013, 2012: 91, Finalist, Excellent, Highly Recommended

Spirit Journal - 2011: 4 Stars, Highly Recommended

When Prohibition outlawed the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in 1920, a few enterprising residents of Iowa chose to become outlaws rather than teetotalers. Alphonse Kerkhoff, a farmer by trade, began cooking batches of rye whiskey near his home in Templeton to supplement his income. "The Good Stuff," as Kerkhoff's rye was known, was so popular that he began tying a white horse named Babe to a polein his front yard as a signal to residents that another batch of Templeton Rye was ready. Shortly thereafter, Kerkhoff partnered with notorious bootlegger Al Capone to distribute his rye across the country. Capone bootlegged hundreds of barrels of Templeton Rye to speakeasies in New York, Chicago and as far west as San Francisco legend has it that he even had a case smuggled into his jail cell at Alcatraz. Following Prohibition, Kerkhoff continued to cook Templeton Rye for his friends and family, before eventually passing the recipe on to his son, Meryl. Today, nearly a century after it was first distilled, Templeton Rye pays homage to that recipe by Keith Kerkhoff, Alfonse's grandson. Templeton Rye is made in Indiana from a variety of winter and spring rye grains that possess specific organoleptic qualities. The rye (which comprises over 90% of the mashbill, with the remainder being malted barley) is fermented for 72-84 hours using a yeast culture that was developed specifically for whiskey production. After fermentation, the mash is double-distilled and then aged in charred, American white oak casks (sourced from a Missouri cooperage) for a minimum of four years. The whiskey is bottled in Templeton, Iowa, where Iowa's hot summers, cold winters and wet springs (monthly average temperatures range from a high of 86.2 F to a low of 6.3 F) result in more contact between the whiskey and the oak prior to bottling, helping the whiskey mature faster and giving it more complexity and flavor. Templeton Rye earned the Gold Medal at the 2009 and 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and was named "Rye Whiskey of the Year"in the 2009 Whisky Bible. It also earned the title "Best of Whiskey"at the 2008 Los Angeles Wine and Spirits Competition, beating out more than 4,000 other entrants in the competition. Now that Prohibition is over, you can enjoy Templeton Rye conspicuously.

Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. traces their roots back to the 1880's, to the heart of Henderson Kentucky. Peerless Whiskey was founded by a businessman with a bold personality Henry Kraver, who revived the brand from the brink of ruin in the late 1880s. Under Kraver's guidance, rose from the ashes, increasing production 25-fold. But the growth of the brand was subsequently stunted by the very unforgiving era of Prohibition. Now, a century later, Peerless Whisky is in the hands of Kraver's great-grandson Corky Taylor and great-great-grandson Carson Taylor. Keeping Kraver's legacy alive, the duo has resurrected the brand, even distilling under the original Distilled Spirits Plant number, DSP-KY-50 in a centuries-old warehouse in downtown Louisville, near the Ohio River. Peerless Whiskey is distilled using a process that values quality over cost. They use a sweet mash, which is costlier than the more commonly used sour mash. The spirit also enters the barrel at a lower 107 proof, which results in the use of 17% more barrels. Water is added before the maturation process as opposed to after, transforming it from a dilutant to an ingredient. The straight rye is non-chill filtered and bottled at barrel strength, revealing a robust, authentic, unadulterated whiskey that was ranked No.15 by Whisky Advocate, on their list of Top 20 Whiskies of 2017. Peerless Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey is an incredibly well-balanced whiskey with smooth, sweet notes of brown sugar, oak, and citrus. We craft our spirits at an unhurried pace, like my great-grandfather did. Only the best bourbon and rye whiskey leaves our doors says Corky Taylor.