rye whiskey

Produced by Heaven Hill, it’s a wheated bourbon, meaning the distillers use wheat instead of rye as the secondary flavoring grain after corn. The mashbill is 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley—which Heaven Hill claims this is twice as much wheat as you’d find in other comparable wheated bourbons. Whatever the case, the use of wheat provides a burst of sweetness on the palate as opposed to the spicy notes that rye adds.

But in 2020, Heaven Hill decided to add a barrel-proof version to its portfolio, much to the delight of bourbon fans. And the latest expression in this lineup, Larceny Barrel Proof B524, released just last month, is another winner.

The term “barrel-proof” refers to whiskey that isn’t diluted before bottling, as opposed to being cut down to a minimum of 80 proof (as is the case with most whiskey). Sometimes, the liquid is filtered to remove any charred bits from the cask that might make its way into the bottle after years of aging. But other times it’s completely uncut and unfiltered.

Legally, barrel-proof whiskey is allowed to vary by up to two degrees, or proof points, from what it actually was when it was dumped. But overall, drinking a barrel-proof whiskey is as close to sipping straight from a barrel as you can get without actually doing so in a distillery’s rickhouse.

Larceny Barrel Proof is released in three batches per year, with the proof varying per release. Generally speaking, the age of the bourbon is between six and eight years old, and the proof tends to fall in the mid-120s. That’s the Goldilocks zone for a high-ABV bourbon: not too hot and not too weak.

It’s called B524 to indicate that it’s the second batch of the year (B), released in May of 2024 (524). It clocks in at 125.4 proof. It’s an interesting bourbon, with strong and unusual notes of fresh orange on the nose. That burst of citrus is followed by milk chocolate, dusty oak, sweet hay, espresso, hot honey, and lavender on the palate. But that defining orange note is really pronounced, an unexpected but very tasty hit of freshness that really makes this particular batch stand out. Add a little bit of water or a large ice cube, and the palate opens up even further.

For more information please visit https://larcenybourbon.com/

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.— Bevridge, your guide to the world of premium whiskies, releases The World Whiskies Tasting Experience, in partnership with Whisky Live. The World Whiskies Experience pairs five category-defining whiskies from around the world with on-demand video content that gives the viewer behind the scenes access of each brand. For whiskey fans and new consumers alike, this experience provides the opportunity to discover and compare different styles, guided through the nuances and backgrounds by the makers themselves.

The Bevridge World Whiskies Experience is comprised of 50ml samples from Benromach (Single Malt Scotch Whisky), Limavady (Single Malt Irish Whiskey), Balcones (American Single Malt Whiskey), Frey Ranch (Bourbon Whiskey), and WhistlePig (Rye Whiskey).

“We chose to feature five distinct types of whiskey so that in one convenient package people can really explore the breadth of flavors that the world of whiskey offers,” says Bevridge’s Marketing Director, Charlie Rodman.

This is Bevridge’s second release, following the exciting launch of its American Single Malt Experience this past spring, both exceptional gifts for the whiskey lover this holiday season.

About Bevridge

Bevridge, co-founded in early 2021 by Nate Ganapathi, Chris Nelson, and Liz Brusca, is a content, e-commerce, and marketing platform, that uses storytelling to enhance consumers’ unique journeys through the world of premium spirits, delivering experiences that go beyond tasting. Bevridge facilitates discovery through the introduction of brands, products, makers, and stories that shape each spirits category hoping to guide consumers to find spirits fit for them.

Bevridge aims to bring together a community of like-minded spirits aficionados, distillers, and industry veterans through its specialty tasting experiences, digital video series and weekly panel discussions, and the company’s flagship in-person events, Whisky Live USA & Canada, operated under license from Paragraph Publishing.

Bespoke tasting experiences, curated by industry professionals, are designed to provide unparalleled access into premium spirits categories and expert guidance on brands, expressions, and history. Each tasting experience includes a tasting collection masterfully selected from the most sought-after distilleries and includes educational materials and on-demand access to custom digital content.

For more information please visit https://bevridge.co/

Master distiller Freddie Noe calls it, “an entirely new flavor profile within the whiskey category.” Here’s what it tastes like.

It’s not every day that the company behind the world’s best-selling bourbon—James B. Beam Distilling Co.—heads in the direction of the unexpected, but that’s just what’s happened with the launch of Basil Hayden Malted Rye, a whiskey made from 100-percent malted rye.

Innovation is anything but essential for American whiskey’s first family, but that doesn’t seem to bother eighth-generation master distiller Freddie Noe, who crafted Basil Hayden Malted Rye. Since last year’s release of Basil Hayden Toast, the experiment-minded whiskey maker has seemingly been using the light-bodied bourbon brand as his own whiskey CERN, crafting expressions that push the boundaries of what we’d expect from Kentucky whiskey.

While this is by no means the first whiskey made from malted rye—San Francisco’s Old Potrero and Denmark’s Stauning each make their own—it’s a bit of a rare bird for Jim Beam and Kentucky, who generally make their ryes from unmalted grain and from a mashbill that floats much closer to the edge of the legal limit, which requires 51 percent rye.

The seeming goal here was to produce a rye that was more refined. To do so, Noe turned towards whiskey’s Caledonian roots. He malted the rye like Scotch distilleries do with barley, allowing it to germinate and produce enzymes before drying it out to stop the process.

In the case of Basil Hayden Malted Rye, it created a subtler, mellower spice with delicate sweet and floral notes that are first perceptible on the nose. Next, soft notes of vanilla and toasted rye bread arrive, followed by a light finish of chocolate and warm spice.

“We are continuing to challenge perceptions with our newest permanent expression, Basil Hayden Malted Rye, introducing an entirely new flavor profile within the whiskey category,” said Noe. “It delivers a more refined side, an unexpected softness and approachability, creating a new way to experience rye”.

For more information please visit https://www.basilhaydenbourbon.com/bourbon-whiskey