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rye whiskey

Wild Turkey Debuts Rare Breed Rye

July 24, 2020 By Dow Scoggins

Wild Turkey Debuts Rare Breed Rye

Wild Turkey Debuts Rare Breed Rye LAWRENCEBURG, Kentucky — Spirits trends come and go, but truly good whiskey will always have a place on back bars and retail shelves. Now, another great American whiskey enters the Wild Turkey® pantheon, as the legendary distillery introduces Rare Breed Rye as a permanent expression within its award-winning portfolio. This unique spirit embodies the same heritage, devotion to craft, and patience of process acknowledged and praised for its predecessors. With its barrel proof and bold taste, Rare Breed Rye beautifully rounds out Wild Turkey’s rye whisky offerings.

Rare Breed Rye Whiskey by Wild TurkeyA blend of four-, six-, and eight-year-old non-chill filtered rye, Rare Breed Rye is barrel-proof, meaning that it’s bottled directly from the barrels—without adding a single drop of water. Enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in cocktails, the flavor profile of the 112.2 proof Rare Breed Rye is nothing short of enticing: Sweet caramel apple gives way to complex layers of honey, vanilla, rye grain spice, and charred oak, followed by a smooth finish, where spices mingle with fruit and a pleasant fading warmth.

While Wild Turkey has never followed trends, demand for rye whiskey is up a significant 15 percent and growing, according to a 2019 DISCUS Economic Report. But it wasn’t always this way. As Prohibition and subsequent drinking trends caused the spirit to fall from favor, Wild Turkey was among the very few distilleries dedicated to the ongoing production of rye whiskey. That dedication can be seen today in expressions, such as Wild Turkey Rye, Wild Turkey 101 Rye, Russell’s Reserve 6-Year-Old Rye, and Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Rye. The culmination of several decades of Kentucky artisanship, the latest entry – Rare Breed Rye – draws on this storied past.

“At a time when rye whiskey is more widely appreciated than ever before, Wild Turkey continues our longstanding tradition of offering a wide range of rye whiskies that lend themselves to a variety of cocktails and consumption occasions” says Eddie Russell, Master Distiller. “As a rye aficionado himself, my son Bruce Russell was the catalyst for reminding me of the distillery’s relationship with rye whiskey and the value it plays within our portfolio. It’s with him and other rye fans in mind that we introduce Rare Breed Rye.”

Rare Breed Rye will be available at select retailers in the United States at a MSRP of $59.99 a bottle. For more information, please visit wildturkey.com.

About Wild Turkey
The distillery for Wild Turkey Bourbon is located in Kentucky, situated on a deep limestone shelf on the Kentucky River. The shelf acts as a natural filter and provides the distillery with crystal clear water, vital to making such a high-quality product. Wild Turkey features the legendary father and son Master Distilling team of Jimmy and Eddie Russell, who have more than 100 years of collective experience working at the Wild Turkey distillery.

The famous Wild Turkey brand name first came about back in 1940 when distillery executive Thomas McCarthy took a few warehouse samples on a Wild Turkey hunting trip with a group of friends. The following year, his friends asked him for “some of that Wild Turkey whiskey” and the brand was born.

Wild Turkey is distilled and put into new oak barrels at a much lower ABV than most bourbons. This results in a much richer flavor, as less is cooked out during the production process. Ageing in the highest quality new American oak barrels with the heaviest char available (the Number 4 “alligator” char), imparts a smooth flavor and deep amber color to the whiskey.

About Campari America
Campari America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI – Bloomberg CPR IM). At the heart of Campari America are two legends in the American spirits industry. The first, Skyy Spirits, was founded in San Francisco back in 1992 by the entrepreneur who invented iconic SKYY Vodka. The second is the world-famous Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, where they have been making the world’s finest whiskies since the 1800’s. Both companies were purchased by Davide Campari-Milano and together they form Campari America, which has built a portfolio unrivaled in its quality, innovation and style, making it a top choice among distributors, retailers and consumers. Campari America manages Campari Group’s portfolio in the US with such leading brands as SKYY Vodka, SKYY Infusions, Grand Marnier, Campari, Aperol, Wild Turkey, Kentucky Straight Bourbon, American Honey, Russell’s Reserve, Glen Grant Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Forty Creek Canadian Whisky, BULLDOG Gin, Cabo Wabo Tequila, Espolón Tequila, Montelobos Mezcal, Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur, Appleton Estate Rum, Wray & Nephew Rum, Coruba Rum, Ouzo 12, X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, Frangelico, Cynar, Averna, Braulio and Jean-Marc XO Vodka.

For Whiskey Fun Facts, Trivia and More, Click Here

 

Filed Under: rye whiskey, wild turkey

Old Overholt – The Oldest Brand of Whiskey in the United States

May 7, 2020 By Dow Scoggins

Old Overholt – The Oldest Brand of Whiskey in the United States
Old Overholt - The Oldest Brand of Whiskey in the United States
(Photo courtesy of West Overton Village and Museums)

Old Overholt, said to be America’s oldest continually maintained brand of whiskey, was founded in West Overton, Pennsylvania, in 1810. Old Overholt is a rye whiskey distilled by A. Overholt & Co., currently a subsidiary of Beam Suntory, which is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings of Osaka, Japan. It is produced at the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. It is one of the most commonly available straight rye whiskies in the U.S., where it is available at most liquor stores. It is aged for three years and bottled at 80 proof. A four-year Bottled In Bond, 100 proof version was released in late 2017. Old Overholt has been called a “foundation stone of American whiskey” because of its long history.

Abraham Overholt

The History of Old Overholt
Henry Oberholzer (Anglicized to “Overholt”), a German Mennonite farmer, moved to West Overton, Pennsylvania, on the banks of Jacobs Creek in Western Pennsylvania in 1800.  His family came from the area of Germany which specialized in distilling “korn”, or rye whiskey, and Henry took up the tradition.

In 1810, Henry’s son Abraham Overholt (1784–1870) took over the management of the distillery and made it into a business. By the 1820s, the distillery was putting out 12 to 15 gallons of rye whiskey per day. Abraham grew the company rapidly; by 1843, Baltimore newspapers were advertising Overholt’s “Old Rye”; at that time, only the very few top distilleries were advertised by name. By 1859, Overholt incorporated his business as “A. Overholt & Co.” He operated out of a new distillery building that was six stories high, 100 feet long, and which could produce 860 gallons per day.

In 1881, Abraham’s grandson Henry Clay Frick took over the company. As one of the country’s wealthiest people, the distillery was a sentimental side-business for Frick.  Frick took on Andrew Mellon and one Charles W. Mauck as partners, each owning one-third of the business.

In 1888, Mauck adopted the name “Old Overholt” as the official name of the company, adding a picture of Abraham as the logo. Around that time, the company started selling its product in bottles instead of barrels. By 1900, Old Overholt became a national brand. In the early years of the 20th Century, Old Overholt became one of the largest and most respected whiskeys in the country.

Frick died in December 1919, and left his share to Andrew Mellon. This ended family ownership in the company.

The Complete History of Old Overholt Rye Whiskey: Click Here The Rise & Fall of America’s Oldest Whiskey 

50+ Fun Facts and Whiskey Trivia: Click Here

Filed Under: rye whiskey, whiskey

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