KINGS COUNTY BARREL STRENGTH EMPIRE RYE 6YR

KINGS COUNTY BARREL STRENGTH EMPIRE RYE 6YRAs our barrel strength offerings have gained acclaim, weve had the opportunity to further refine just what it is that has made those releases among our most coveted. While a high proof point is undeniably one element of the equation, we also believe that the oil rich, heavy bodied quality of our pot distillate and highly attentive blending are essential to maintaining complexity, drinkability, and nuance as the age, proof, and oak profile of a whiskey

As our barrel-strength offerings have gained acclaim, we’ve had the opportunity to further refine just what it is that has made those releases among our most coveted. While a high proof point is undeniably one element of the equation, we also believe that the oil-rich, heavy-bodied quality of our pot distillate and highly attentive blending are essential to maintaining complexity, drinkability, and nuance as the age, proof, and oak profile of a whiskey increases. After evaluating our inventory of Empire Rye in preparation for this year’s annual blend, the blending team determined that the bulk of our Rye inventory had matured — and concentrated — in ways that resembled many of our best cask-strength bourbon offerings. As so, beginning with this eighth batch of our Empire Rye — our first with a three-year age statement — our annual releases will be bottled at barrel strength. Whereas last year’s multiple-award-winning Batch #7 aimed, first and foremost, to articulate the inherent complexity of our New York-grown Danko rye, this year’s Batch #8 emphasizes the complexities also gained through lengthier small-format barrel maturation. Featuring a diverse split of 10-, 15-, and 53-gallon barrels between the ages of 3 and 6 years old, Barrel Strength Empire Rye Batch #8 opens with a nose of rum-soaked raisin, structured oak, maple, vanilla, and cinnamon. The rich and layered palate features further familiar dark-fruit notes of fig and date cake, while an array of baking spices — black pepper, most notably – elegantly balance the sweetness through the finish. With a small addition of water, notes of clove, allspice, and pomegranate become more prominent.