Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year 95.4°

“So, bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee
But the levee was dry
And good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die
This’ll be the day that I die”
~Don Mclean American Pie

I know what a Chevy is. I know what a levee is. I know what whiskey is. But what the hell is rye? Is it whiskey? Bourbon? Both? I prefer rye toast with brunch, but I’m not sure how I feel about it in my glass. The notion strikes me as something that exists solely in the faded musings of Civil War historians and aging NASCAR aficionados.

Rye is whiskey, but not bourbon, as it’s made not from corn, but from rye grain. Albeit slightly bitterer and spicier – think rye bread vs. corn bread – rye tastes similar to bourbon and, despite its near anonymity, the robust and full-bodied spirit enjoys a cult-like following among hardcore whiskey devotees. Easier to grow than barley, rye was likely the first style of whiskey created and sold in U.S. colonies. Free to cascade into a man’s gullet unfettered by the pitfalls of English trade, it quickly gained favor as Revolutionary America’s drink of patriots. Rye enjoyed its stronghold as America’s sweetheart throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, with the Manhattan and Old Fashioned each boasting rye as its foundation. Sadly, in 1919, the 18th Amendment signaled last call in the United States for fourteen long years and the public’s love affair with rye would never be the same.

Fast forward to 1933…the Fed’s repeal of Prohibition finally eased its grip on the thirsty. Bourbon muscled in to meet demand while rye fell into relative obscurity. So where did things go awry for rye? (Sorry, had to…) Popular speculation attributes the cause for its tumble to the high cost of cultivation in relation to corn. Another attitude suggests a swing in America’s taste buds; during Prohibition, aged whiskies were quite hard to come by and, as a result, many folks switched to unaged gins and vodkas. A closer look finds Mother Nature the unwitting culprit. A lack of rain in 1934 greatly diminished rye harvests, leaving farmers with the worst crop in over a half a century. This shortage – coupled with the significant increase in demand for grain upon the legalization of spirit production – forced distillers to lean heavily on corn as the basis for whiskey, sending rye the way of Crystal Pepsi, cassette tapes, and – thankfully – Gallagher. So here we are some ninety years after the fall and, thanks to renewed interest in traditional cocktails and the über hip Speakeasy vibe, rye is enjoying a resurgence among whiskey’s devout.

I first tasted rye a year or so ago under the advisement of a fellow whiskey enthusiast. Dry in contrast to bourbon, rye works magic when it mingles with the sweet vermouth in a Manhattan. For the purists, though, straight up, a dash of water, or a single ice cube are the only options. So what of this Van Winkle? Given their track record with bourbon, expectations are quite high; and, at 13-years-old, Van Winkle’s is the oldest rye my feeble mind can conjure. Upon first glance, the tall bottle is swaddled in a nondescript label, numbered and applied by hand, as evidenced by opaque traces of glue surrounding the edge. Tilt a measure in a small glass. Swirl her around and take a snort. The nose is sweet and rich. Toffee, chocolate, and a dash of mint tumble with freshly-peeled oranges and ripe cherries. I wonder if they make scented candles. On the palate the fruit aromas erupt as if steeped into some delicious whiskey tea. Creamy coconut and vanilla drift in with spice and white pepper. As the flavors hit their stride, the distinct bite of rye reaches through, alternating back and forth before trailing off amid notes of orange zest and buttered rum. Another sip and the journey begins again…rich, twisted, and beautiful. This is one of the best whiskies I have ever tasted, evoking a poignant sentiment from Samuel Langhorne Clemens: “Too much of anything is bad, but too much of good whiskey is barely enough.”

“Until now, most rye whiskeys were only 5 years old or younger. This 13-year rye breaks the mold…The maturity it has received while aging is quite obvious when you take the first sip. Flavors include cocoa, vanilla, spice and white pepper. Rye whiskey lovers who try this bottling will never again look back at the younger versions.” Rated 95 –Beverage Tasting Institute

96 points, Shawn Reynolds, B-21′s Resident Historian
5 Stars – Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal
95 points, Wine Enthusiast