Rye

Sydney Jones, supervisor and lead distillery technician at Heaven Hill in Bardstown, Kentucky, isolates the components of whiskey-making, zooming in on all the many decision points that a distiller can use to affect whiskey’s flavor.

As distillers in western Pennsylvania work to define their own style of rye, historical examples and modern efforts guide the way. It’s a project that could be instructive to distillers in other regions with distinctive styles.

R&D distiller Mitch Mahar describes the innovation program that helps WhistlePig choose single-cask finishes worth pursuing, as well as potential threads for their annual Boss Hog special release.

In this clip from their video course, WhistlePig R&D distiller Mitch Mahar explains how the rye harvest can affect their choice of barrels for aging the spirit, as well as how cask placement can affect the final product.

The head distiller and blender in Tucson, Arizona, is embracing the scorching desert climate and local flavor—namely, mesquite-smoked malt—to craft distinctive whiskeys while making transparency integral to the brand.

Lost River Permaculture sells premium handmade vodka and angus beef—and while that may not be the most obvious pairing, it makes perfect sense to Shawn Ward and Lisa Landrie, the couple who started the distillery and farm in Lost River, Saskatchewan.

The spicy compound 4-vinyl-guaiacol occurs in many drinks, but among distillers, it’s best known as a flavor component of certain whiskeys—especially ryes. Whether you want to dial it up, dial it down, or just dial it in, here’s what to know.

Meet some of the distillers who are building unique grain bills for their spirits through research, farmer relationships, and environmentally mindful production.

In the second of two articles looking at a farm-to-bottle relationship between distiller and farmer—in their own words—Jason Cody of Colorado Malting discusses the challenges and benefits of growing and malting characterful grains on a small scale. As told to Ryan Pachmayer.