Kings County Empire Rye Whiskey

Kings County Empire Rye Whiskey is a New York rye made to the Empire Rye standard from Danko rye and English malt.

Empire Rye came out of a 2015 agreement between six New York distilleries who wanted a whiskey style that belonged to their own state; the group has since grown to nine and keeps expanding. The rules are strict: a minimum of 75 per cent New York-grown rye, distillation to no more than 160 proof, at least two years in new oak, and mashing, fermenting, distilling, barrelling and ageing at a single New York distillery in a single season. This bottling uses 80 per cent New York Danko rye and 20 per cent Golden Promise English malt, aged at least two years in charred oak. Context helps: industry estimates suggest as much as 70 per cent of American rye comes from a single Indiana plant.

Complex and glowing, with cinnamon, nutmeg, maple, mint and cut grass, finishing on warm bread and holiday spice. Neat with a drop of water shows it best. It also makes a superb Sazerac or Vieux Carré.