2018Q3SpiritedVA - 17

* Old Overholt Bonded Rye, A.
Overholt & Co., Frankfort,
KY Abraham Overholt (1784-

recognition for its partnership with Tim
Smith of Moonshiners and his Climax
Moonshine, but its spirits deserve
recognition on their own, including
Kopper Kettle Whiskey and Apple
Whiskey, Virginia Lightning Moonshines
(think cherry, apple pie, butterscotch
and peach) and Butcher Holler
Celebrity Moonshine.
Reservoir Distillery (Richmond)
makes their flagship whiskies from 100
percent of the featured grain: wheat,
rye, and corn bourbon. Try them side
by side to understand how the grain bill
affects the end product.
Belle Isle Craft Spirits (Richmond)
begins with 100 percent organic corn to
craft premium moonshine. Besides the
flagship Black Label, look for high-proof
100 and three flavored shines that make
great cocktails or sippers: Belle Isle
Ruby Red Grapefruit, Honey Habanero
and Cold Brew Coffee moonshine.
Go to ABC.Virginia.gov for more.
Savor your chance to explore the great
taste of American whiskey!

1870) was one of the fathers
of American distilling. This
Kentucky straight rye whiskey
has a distinctive ﬂavor and
appeal that made it one of the
most popular spirits in the
country post-Prohibition. One
distillery, one distiller, one
season-then barreled for at
least four years.

Produced from a fermented mash
of at least 51 percent rye and stored
in charred new oak containers,
rye whiskey highlights the spicy,
robust, impactful character of its
primary grain. Though rye whiskey
faded with Prohibition, the spirit
has recently made a comeback.
As WhistlePig Whiskey explains:
"As rye contains less sugar than
any other grain, Rye Whiskey is
a challenge to produce, requiring
aging longer than other whiskies to
attain a desired smoothness. But
when handled properly, there is no
comparison."

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is relatively new-2007-it
has gained a reputation beyond
its years. The company started
with a vision of farm-to-bottle
rye whiskey: home-grown grain,
water and wood, a.k.a. the Triple
Terroir.

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* Michter's Rye, Michter's
Distillery, Louisville, KY

Michter's traces its historic
legacy back to the first American
whiskey company in 1753. The
distillery is known for its rye,
made from American rye grain
that is sheared to maximize the
flavor extraction. Every bottle of
Michter's US-1 Rye comes from a
single barrel.
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Bulleit Rye, Bulleit Frontier
Whiskey, Louisville, KY Even

Tom Bulleit's bourbon boasts
a high rye content, so a rye
whiskey was a fait accompli. This
small-batch, straight rye whiskey
is full of spice and complexity.
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Whiskies at Sagamore Spirit
Distillery, Baltimore, MD

Like the limestone aquifers that
contribute to Kentucky whiskey
quality, naturally filtered water
springing from a limestone
aquifer at Maryland's Sagamore
Farm contributes to Sagamore
Spirit liquors. At this young
brewery, the water is used for
proofing, with more goodness to
come.

Tin Cup Mountain Whiskey, CO

"High rye" bourbon, distilled and
aged in Indiana, is blended with
Colorado single malt whiskey, then
cut to proof with Rocky Mountain
water. Inspiring and inspired.

* WhistlePig Rye, Middleburg,
VT Though WhistlePig distillery

corn grown by East Tennessee
farmers and a century-old recipe.
The grain bill is 80-percent corn
and 20 percent-well, that's Ole
Smoky's secret! Also in flavors like
strawberry, margarita, cherry,
blackberry and apple pie.

RYE WHISKEY

OTHER
AMERICAN
WHISKIES

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Breckenridge Distillery,
CO The bourbon whiskeys from

Breckenridge include barrels
selected from Kentucky, Tennessee
and Indiana, chosen in part for
the ability to blend with housedistilled whiskey, and always made
from a high-rye mash bill. Look
for bourbon, port-cask finished
whiskey and high-proof blend.
Hudson Whiskey, NY In 2007,
Hudson Whiskey became the first
whiskey distillery in New York
State since Prohibition. The team
uses the agricultural resources
of local farmers to produce local
flavor and a nationwide appeal.
Look for 100-percent corn Baby
Bourbon, Manhattan Rye Whiskey
and Four Grain Whiskey.
High West Distillery, Utah High
in the Wasatch-Uinta mountains
in Utah, High West Distillery has
grown from a small, 250-gallon
still and saloon in an historic
livery stable and garage to an
international brand with four
distinct locations. It's well worth a
visit, but in the meantime, look for
their eye-popping whiskies such as
American Prairie Bourbon, Double
Rye and Campfire, with peated
Scotch smokiness.
Clyde May's, AL Clyde May
created "Alabama Style" Whiskey
more than 70 years ago. A proud
moonshiner, May back in the day
started each batch with a pristine
still and finished with baked apple
slices. The brand became legal in
2001 and now cranks out fine aged
whiskies.

SPIRITED VIRGINIA | JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2018 17
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2018Q3SpiritedVA

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