A truly special whiskey is the culmination of a few key characteristics: Experience. Teamwork. Quality in every step. And last but not least, passion.  At Old Carter Whiskey Co, it’s our promise to ensure you can taste our expertise and inspiration with every unique release, and in every sip.

Old Carter is the passion project of “flavor chaser” partners Mark Carter and Sherri Carter, whose beverage industry roots trace back to award-winning careers in the California wine business. After resurrecting the long-dormant bourbon brand Kentucky Owl in 2011, the two were irreversibly hooked on the art of whiskey making and blending. Kentucky Owl sold unexpectedly in 2017, but by then Sherri & Mark were so enamored with the vibrant spirit of Kentucky’s whiskey community, they made a commitment to carry on their love affair with whiskey by making a statement of their own, right in the Bluegrass. And Old Carter Whiskey Co was born.

Headquartered in Louisville, the Old Carter team produces Straight Ryes, Bourbons and American Whiskies in locations throughout Kentucky. Each bottle is personally crafted by Mark and Sherri, who create every blend and select every single barrel program release together.

A truly special whiskey is the culmination of a few key characteristics: Experience. Teamwork. Quality in every step. And last but not least, passion.  At Old Carter Whiskey Co, it’s our promise to ensure you can taste our expertise and inspiration with every unique release, and in every sip.

Old Carter is the passion project of “flavor chaser” partners Mark Carter and Sherri Carter, whose beverage industry roots trace back to award-winning careers in the California wine business. After resurrecting the long-dormant bourbon brand Kentucky Owl in 2011, the two were irreversibly hooked on the art of whiskey making and blending. Kentucky Owl sold unexpectedly in 2017, but by then Sherri & Mark were so enamored with the vibrant spirit of Kentucky’s whiskey community, they made a commitment to carry on their love affair with whiskey by making a statement of their own, right in the Bluegrass. And Old Carter Whiskey Co was born.

Headquartered in Louisville, the Old Carter team produces Straight Ryes, Bourbons and American Whiskies in locations throughout Kentucky. Each bottle is personally crafted by Mark and Sherri, who create every blend and select every single barrel program release together.

Maker Notes

Our Straight Rye Whiskey pays homage to Kentucky Derby Black jockeys Isaac Murphy, Alonzo Clayton, Oliver Lewis, and Soup Perkins. These jockeys paved the way for future Black jockeys, who dominated the sport of horse racing from 1875 to 1903. However, as the Jim Crow laws and segregation began to grow, Black jockeys were not spared; often being denied licenses and facing physical harm. As a result, from 1921-2000, there were no Black riders in the Kentucky Derby. However the legacy of these black jockeys should not be forgotten. Old Hillside takes great pride in honoring the history of the Black jockeys. This rye offers a bold and complex taste of caramel, vanilla, mint and floral while finishes with a slight spice punch. Our light earthy notes complement the extra sweetness during the finish.

TASTING NOTES

COLOR: Dark amber

AROMA: Bold rye spice and floral notes

TASTE: Caramel, vanilla, mint

FINISH: Slight notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and mint

AWARDS

DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL AT THE 2023 TAG AWARDS

DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL AT THE 2023 SAN FRANCISCO SPIRITS COMPETITION

DOUBLE GOLD 2023 SIP AWARDS

R6 Bourbon Whiskey featuring The Lost Abbey.

In 2019, The Lost Abbey brewed a Bourbon-influenced beer.  When the beer was finished, they transported the entire batch across town to our plant in El Segundo, using several stainless-steel tote containers. The alchemists at R6 turned that original Bock into delicious whiskey and have been aging it every since - waiting for maturity to be just right.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Spice, Apple, Fall, Raisin Bread, and Cinnamon 
Palate: Warming Honey, Clove, Brown Sugar, and Fresh Nutty Dry Grass 
Finish: Light Caramel and a Hint of Cocoa

Aged for a minimum of four years. Enjoy in your Manhattan cocktail or over a big ice cube.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Hints of Spice, Apple, and Fall Flavors
Palate: Soft Apple and Honey warm up to Fresh Spice of Rye Wheat
Finish: Soft, Lingering Heat and Notes of Caramel

Ever tasted a nearly 100-year-old spirit?

Bold Rye Whiskey fortified with Ancient Armagnac. BHAKTA 1928 embodies the Spirit of the Roaring Twenties—Boom Times, Boundless Optimism, and Big American Dreams. In this breakthrough blend, America’s finest rye is unified with France’s oldest spirits, including Armagnac from the rare and exquisite 1928 vintage, to capture the essence of an iconic era’s je ne sais quoi.

TASTING NOTES

Aspect: Golden Orange

Nose: Custard, caramel and vanilla

Palate: Oak, vanilla and spice

Finish: Lingering oak and mellow tannins

Embarking on the journey with organic California rye, wheat, and malted barley, we craft the foundation for our straight rye whiskey. Infused with the acclaimed Santa Ana award-winning water, the base mash sets the stage for a spirit that matures for a minimum of 2 years in New American charred white oak casks, basking in the warmth of the Southern California climate. Despite its relatively young age, this rye whiskey presents a remarkably mature profile, featuring nuanced notes of spicy grain, caramel, and baking spices. Its palate, complex and bold, promises a sensory experience that transcends expectations.

Aged in American charred oak barrels. Limited release finished in PX Barrels.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Toasted Strawberry and Pecan
Palate: Sherry, Prunes, and Coffee
Finish: Soft Fig With Lingering Heat – Apple Notes, Tropical Fruit and Papaya 

The Boss Hog X transcends tradition with a double finish inspired by our own land of milk and honey. Each barrel of Straight Rye Whiskey is aged in new American Oak before completing its journey in two unorthodox finishing barrels. The first is seasoned with our own experimental spirit – distilled from rye and whey, infused with aromatic resins from the genera commonly known as Frankincense and Myrrh  – delivering notes of creme brulee, lemongrass and rosemary to the final whiskey. The second and final finish is aged in craft mead casks, offering a mellow, round-bodied finish with hints of red berries and freshly crushed black pepper.

The result – thousands of years’ worth of wonder condensed into a bottle of biblical proportions, righteously rendered at barrel proof.

TASTING NOTES

NOSE: Honey, roasted cashew, fresh ginger, subtle floral notes.

PALATE: Dried honey, raisin, and sharp, bright citrus.

FINISH: Sapwood, fresh ground pepper.

Building on our tradition of award-winning spirits, and in concert with some of our favorite whiskey distillers, Cutwater Spirits proudly introduces Black Skimmer American Rye. A blend of straight whiskeys with notes of honey, almond, black pepper, and a hint of clove. Born from our curiosity, creativity, and unconventional open-minded spirit, this smooth drinking rye was meticulously selected, curated, and blended. Enjoy it with the best of friends.

Recent Awards

2022 Gold - 90 Points San Diego International Spirits Competition
2021 Best of Category - Blended Whiskey American Distilling Institute
2021 Silver American Distilling Institute
2021 Silver - 89 Bartender Spirits Awards
2021 Gold International Spirits Challenge
2021 Silver International Wine & Spirit Competition

Angel's Envy Cask Strength Rye Whiskey emerges as a limited-edition delight, boasting an impressive 114.4-proof potency at 57.2% ABV. This special blend merges two batches of MGP's 95% rye and 5% malted barley mashbill, harmoniously aged for five to seven years to achieve its remarkable depth. Within each sip, anticipate a tapestry of flavors: the sweetness of pear, the brightness of cherry, and the interplay between dark and milk chocolate, complemented by notes of almond and a tantalizing undercurrent of toasted spice. It's an exquisite rendezvous of meticulous craftsmanship and sensational taste, a testament to the artistry of Angel's Envy.

The wind from the North Sea mixes blood with the desert of Mexico in this double-distilled rye whisky aged in old mezcal casks. An illegal love affair with a gentle and exotic aftertaste. Stauning Bastard a rye whisky made purely of local ingredients, malted on the floor at our distillery and double-distilled in flame-heated pot stills. After at least three years in new, toasted virgin American oak casks, it has been rounded off with at least 6-months ageing in old mezcal casks from Mexican Oro de Oaxaca. The result is an elegant love child whose equal you won't find anywhere else in this world.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Sweet pipe tobacco smoke, raisins, oat biscuit, citrus, oak

Taste: Tobacco, vanilla, barley, dried fruit, cinnamon, brown sugar, molasses, shortbread, oak

Finish: Long Sweet, slightly smoky, salty, brown sugar, pepper

Age and Cask: 4 years. Matured between 3-4 years in Virgin American Oak & then at least 6 months in Mezcal casks

Voted 2021 Best Rye Whiskey by Forbes, this 100 proof small batch rye whiskey is non-chill filtered and distilled in Lexington, Kentucky – rich in distilling history. The low-rye/high-malt mash bill makes this rye whiskey unique on the pallet. Spicy aroma, with spicy rye notes of vanilla, oak and pepper with a warm, dry finish.

Maker Notes

A truly special whiskey is the culmination of a few key characteristics: Experience. Teamwork. Quality in every step. And last but not least, passion.  At Old Carter Whiskey Co, it’s our promise to ensure you can taste our expertise and inspiration with every unique release, and in every sip.

Old Carter is the passion project of “flavor chaser” partners Mark Carter and Sherri Carter, whose beverage industry roots trace back to award-winning careers in the California wine business. After resurrecting the long-dormant bourbon brand Kentucky Owl in 2011, the two were irreversibly hooked on the art of whiskey making and blending. Kentucky Owl sold unexpectedly in 2017, but by then Sherri & Mark were so enamored with the vibrant spirit of Kentucky’s whiskey community, they made a commitment to carry on their love affair with whiskey by making a statement of their own, right in the Bluegrass. And Old Carter Whiskey Co was born.

Headquartered in Louisville, the Old Carter team produces Straight Ryes, Bourbons and American Whiskies in locations throughout Kentucky. Each bottle is personally crafted by Mark and Sherri, who create every blend and select every single barrel program release together.

Maker Notes

As you drive up the west slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains from our Etrog orchards in Lindcove Ranch California into the Sequoia National Forest you pass through the lovely town of Three Rivers California where three forks of the Kaweah River converge – the Middle or Main Fork, the North Fork and the South Fork. As the crystal clear waters flow down out of the mountains and into the farmland of the San Joaquin Valley they echo the three elements that we bring together to create whiskey:  wood, water and grain. Three Rivers is  our own expression of what we love in a rye whiskey.   Our rye starts with an almost pure rye mashbill (93% American Rye), but with an extra “handful” of malted barley to get a smoother fermentation and get away from the sour, bitter notes common to many rye whiskeys.   The extra barley adds just enough amylase to create a rich grain forward rye mash.    We then age in new American oak, and work our magic on purifying and smoothing out the whiskey base.  We then step Three Rivers through a series of toasted and smoked oak.    The toasted oak pulls bitterness from the spirit, and lends it sweet, light brown sugar and caramel notes.  Then the deep charred oak smooths off an “rough edges” and adds dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee and maple/spice notes to the finished whiskey. Every bottle of CALI Distillery Three Rivers Rye is bottled as a single barrel expression, so each is a little different,  but every bottle is delicious, and not quite like any other rye whiskey you’ve tasted.

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.

Rye whiskies present considerably more diversity in flavor compared to Bourbons, and our Hogback Rye Whiskey is no exception. Lighter than some rye, our 95% rye is complex and enticing.

Nose: Floral and soft. Grassy and sweet, with plenty of green apple and some oak.

Palate: Green apple hard candies are most prevalent, with some tart cherry and flowery sweetness.

Finish: Lingering sweet orange spice. 

Warming and deeply satisfying neat or as the base for a cocktail.

Maker Notes

Our 95% rye whiskey is lighter than many other rye whiskies but still has all the characteristics associated with a rye. Eclipse is finished for two years in barrels that previously held rum. 

Aged a minimum of 4 years in a virgin oak barrel and ex-rum cask.

Nose: A big beautiful nose – wood shavings, freshly cut pine. All the baking spices – nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. And so much more… 

Palate: Baked apple. Citris and sweet spice with a long creamy vanilla and a warming orange sorbet finish.

A cask strength whiskey, great at full proof or enjoyed with a splash of spring water.

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

Senator Barrel Proof 6-Year Whiskey is a robust, six-year-aged spirit showcasing rich caramel, vanilla, and oak notes with a nuanced spice. Crafted with precision and aged to perfection, it’s a favorite among whiskey enthusiasts for its balanced complexity and smoothness. Whether enjoyed neat or in cocktails, it embodies the artistry of whiskey-making, a testament to patience and expert craftsmanship.