SPIRIT STYLES
three-chamber wooden stills. These are obviously no longer in use today though Leopold Bros in Colorado recently commissioned Vendome Copper and Brassworks to produce a copper replica of these stills for the production of its Maryland rye whiskey. These stills operate in a hybridised fashion of continuous and pot stills and require a lot of operator attention. However, Leopold Bros believes its still aids in the creation of intense levels of avour in the new make spirit. Since historical samples of Maryland rye whiskies are almost impossible to nd in the wild, we can only speculate about the original avours of these whiskies. Most modern versions tend towards heavy barrel in uence compa- rable to sister spirit bourbon. However, Leopold Bros once again takes a different tack. After reviewing numer- ous historical records and documents, it decided that barreling at 100 proof (50% ABV) for less amounts of time equalled a more accurate approxima- tion of the whiskies of yore. We may never know the truth behind this style but fortunately there is no short- age of modern examples laying claim to the Maryland name for us to judiciously study. Heaven Hill’s Pikesville Rye is a particular standout and Jim Beam’s Rye can also be considered a ‘Maryland’ rye with its high corn content. And though it may be hard to nd in some markets due to the small size of the distillery, Leopold Bros Maryland-style Rye offers an inter- esting take on the style. Empire Rye The new kid on rye whiskey’s block, Empire Rye as a style was only recently
barrels of whiskey never dropped below 20°C. This likely had the effect of pro- viding a heavy amount of oak in uence to the whiskey. (1) Modern examples of Pennsylvania Rye abound but perhaps the most famous is Dad’s Hat Rye made by Mountain Laurel Spirits in Bristol, Pennsylvania. The grist is composed of 80% unmalted rye, 5% malted rye, and 15% malted barley. It’s aged in smaller quarter casks of new American oak but the distillery has recently begun to lay down full sized 53 gallon casks as well. It is dry with a signi cant amount of oak in uence and heavy-bodied. In 2015, Whiskey Advocate awarded it ‘Craft Whiskey of the Year’. Maryland Rye This whiskey serves as Pennsylvania Rye’s historical foil. Also, incredibly pop- ular during the 19 th century, many folks had a preference for one or the other. Maryland rye differs from Pennsylvania rye’s recipe with the inclusion of a gen- erous amount of corn. Corn grew well in the American states farther south and so it was only natural for corn to nd its way into regional whiskey recipes. With the inclusion of corn to the recipe, Maryland ryes generally (though not always) have a lower rye con- tent compared to their Pennsylvania counterparts. A ‘typical’ recipe might contain 60% unmalted rye, 30% corn, and 10% malted barley. With the lower rye content and the addition of corn, Maryland ryes generally have a slightly sweeter taste pro le when tasted next to a Pennsylvanian rye. There is some evidence that histor- ically Maryland Rye was distilled using
solidi ed as a regional standard in the past few years. Nicole Austin, the cur- rent master distiller for Diageo’s George Dickel whisky brand, came up with the idea for a New York state rye whiskey category in 2015 when she was still working for King’s County Distillery in Brooklyn, New York. Austin eventually ew her New York nest to work for Tullamore Dew (prior to heading to Dickel), but the ideas and Kings County Distillery. (Photo: Kings County Distillery)
MARYLAND RYE
With a mashbill around 65% rye, Leopold Bros. are one of the very few distilleries that are currently producing a softer Maryland-style rye
Heaven Hill’s Pikesville Rye is the relaunch of a brand that dates back to 1890s. It was the last bastion of Maryland rye production until the 1980s, when the brand was acquired by Heaven Hill
Jim Beam’s Rye can also be considered a Maryland Rye: Made to one of Beam’s oldest recipes, this release is made in a ‘pre-Prohibition style’
november 2019 I BREWER AND DISTILLER INTERNATIONAL ● 29
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