Maybe there is something in the water. Yes, it plays an oft-overlooked role in the end quality of a whiskey. But to build this level of liquid—and attain this level of recognition—in less than 3 years? Something special is happening here. And it’s only going to get better with age.The American Whiskey Masters is an annual blind tasting conducted by prominent spirits writers in the UK. This distillery cropped up multiple times on the winners list. It’s one that many stateside drinkers of bourbon and rye might have never even heard of, let alone sampled: Blinking Owl, out of Orange County, California. The producer took home a silver for best bourbon aged up to 7 years. And its rye was awarded gold, out of all rye up to 7 years in age. As if the underdog victory wasn’t impressive enough on its own—the distillery only started laying down its whiskey in February of 2018. In fact, it represents the first ever American whiskies ever distilled in this part of Southern California.

The expert distillers at Bulleit offer us their sweet and fruity Rye offering, adding even more rye into the mix than their traditional bourbon. Bulleit Rye has a mashbill of 95% rye and just 5% malted barley and is produced in small batches, allowing the flavour to really bloom. The nose is awash with sweet cherries and classic vanilla and on the palate you’ll enjoy an intense heat that mellows into a mesh of peaches, cherries, cinnamon and orange zest. A smoky finish is just what’s needed to show a bourbon of true class.

Crater Lake Rye is an American Whiskey distilled in Oregon. Made from a mashbill of 95% rye, this is full of toffee and peppery notes.

Another small-batch blend of fine rye whiskies distilled in a small copper pot still, this is a characterful, robust, smoky whisky with a pleasingly sweet palate.

Rittenhouse Rye Whisky 100 proof is a hot and spicy offering which spends six years maturing before bottling. Vibrant cinnamon, black pepper and spicy rye are all prevalent in the nose and they lead into a medium body in which the higher proof is immediately apparent on the tongue. Rich notes of tobacco, cinnamon, clove and brown sugar blend together to create a highly spiced offering with just a touch of sweetness. Sip it slowly.

Sazerac Straight Rye Whisky takes its name from the New Orleans coffee house which was known as the home of the Sazerac cocktail. Without this exceptional whisky, the cocktail would be nowhere near as great. Aromas of vanilla, anise, pepper and clove are released but the flavour is subtler, with candied spice and sweet citrus taking over.

An excellent rye from Old Potrero, this is a truly exceptional and unique example of rye whisky as it was originally made in the 18th Century.

Single Barrel Tennessee Rye Whiskey draws its wonderful flavour from a unique 70% rye grain bill, matured to perfection in our handmade oak barrels, positioned in the upper reaches of our barrelhouses. Bottled at 90 proof, this is a big, bold rye that does not overpower. Complex flavours of ripe fruit mingle with light toasted oak notes, allowing the rye grain to shine through, creating a taste rich with spice and a pleasant lingering finish. Enjoy this Single Barrel Rye neat, on the rocks, or in classic rye cocktails.

Canada’s most famous whisky, Canadian Club has a flavour which fans will know all too well and newcomers will certainly learn to love. Its aroma is sweet with warm notes of barley sugar and biting aniseed, alongside vegetal freshness. When you take the first sip it’s surprisingly gentle, a mellow flavour with dark sugar, essence of rum and winter spice coming through. It’s a generally medium-bodied whisky with many pleasing flavour notes to enjoy.

Straight Rye Whiskey Distillery Bottling 70cl / 45% / 90 Proof A good quality straight rye American whiskey with a 51% Rye, 45% Corn, 4% Malted Barley mashbill, at 90 US proof (45%) this works well as a sipping whiskey and has enough punch to make its presence felt in Manhattan or Sazerac cocktails. Ezra Brooks has a long association with Heaven Hill distillery, going back to the early 1990s