Category: rye
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Quarantine Bottle Kill #2: Woodford Reserve Rare Rye
The next victim of the Quarantine Bottle Count is the Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Rare Rye twins from 2011. Yes, I’ve been sitting on two open 375ml bottles for nine years. Don’t judge me. Let’s put this into context. Nine years ago rye whiskey was just becoming the hot item after decades of obscurity. And…
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Whiskey Wednesday: A Midwinter’s Night Dram
When it comes to the whiskey world the two most maligned words are “sourced” and “blended.” Yet, one of the most respected distilleries to come out of the past decade of craft distilling is easily Utah’s own High West, a distillery that exclusively bottles “sourced” and “blended” whiskey. So how did they rise above? Honesty,…
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Open Bottle: Rittenhouse Very Rare 25 Year Straight Rye Whiskey
Today I’m either turning 33 or 37, depending on whether you believe my birth certificate or my girlfriend’s mathematical skills. I’ve been in the service industry since I was 16, been bartending since I was 20, and have been a “craft bartender” and bar manager since I was 25. In a lot of ways my…
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Whiskey Wednesday: Overholt’s Bond
Bottled in Bond has jumped the shark. Before what’s sure to be Jack Daniel’s latest premium priced bottled in bond hits Duty Free shelves worldwide let’s look back to a much more innocent time when a BiB release truly excited me. A time known as six months ago… Before we jump in the Short Way…
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Whiskey Wednesday: Leopold Maryland Style Rye
Alright nerds, here’s a good one for you today. Maryland Style Rye. Before the advent of the ‘Great Experiment’ that was Prohibition there were two dominant styles of American Rye Whiskey. The Pennsylvania Style (spicy, dry, and oaky) and Maryland Style, which was more floral, fruit forward and less aggressive. Among the many great things…
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Drinking Poetic: West of Brooklyn
I’m sentimental in my head. I say head because I’m less emotionally sentimental and more intellectually sentimental, meaning that I hold on to things because I feel like I’m supposed to. This often means I find myself with collections of stuff that sometimes seem to stick around simply because it’s already stuck around. Enter The…
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Whiskey Wednesday: Shooting Turkey Rye in a Single Barrel
I don’t like to repeat myself, but the conversation about the Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Barrel a few weeks ago got me thinking. While I might not be a Wild Turkey Bourbon man at heart the rye has always tickled my fancy. I’d like to say that it’s simply because it’s damn good whiskey but…
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Leopold of the Future
Today’s post is a sneak preview of a Whiskey Wednesday of the future brought to you by a trip a few days in the past. And it’s going to be about Leopold Brothers which I know is going to turn some of you off but stick with me. I know I’ve said it before but Leopold Brother’s is my platonic…
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A FEW Good (Rye) Barrels
Inertia can have its benefits. I’ve been running the bar at Areal for 4 years now which means that these days the bar is essentially an extension of my personal tastes over the years. It also means that I am spoiled. On average I get to taste 3-6 new spirits a week. Which honestly isn’t…
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Back In The Alley 6
The craft distillery and spirits movement wasn’t born yesterday but it sure feels like it. In 2011 there were a mere 200 “craft” distilleries running spirit off their stills. By 2014 that number had literally tripled to over 600 and now there are estimated to be over 1200. That’s a massive jump in in 5 years.…
Bottled In Bond LA 