Rock & Rye Whiskey
80 Proof
Annual Release
Spirit Description
Rock and Rye Whiskey is our Woodcock Rye Whiskey that is infused with a variety of fruits and spices and released every October. This infusion includes oranges, lemons, pineapple, horehound drops, honey, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. The resulting whiskey is a well-balanced blend of citrusy notes combined with spicy sweetness that is perfect for fall and winter sipping.
Information & History
Rock and Rye Whiskey's popularity rose in the late 1800s for its “medicinal properties.” By the late 1870s, virtually every pharmacy in the nation was stocking their shelves with some proprietary recipe, often promoted as a sort of cough syrup.
In 1883, the drink was finally reclassified as a distilled spirit. According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau definition, rock and rye has a minimum 25.5% alcohol by volume, must be made with rye, straight rye, or whiskey distilled from a rye mash, and contain either rock candy or sugar syrup. The addition of fruit, fruit juices, or other natural flavoring is allowed, but optional.
Even after it became classified as a distilled spirit, rock and rye's pursuit of pharmacopeia persisted. An 1891 advertisement for Tolu rock and rye in Chicago promoted its use “for coughs, colds, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, consumption and all diseases of the throat, chest and lungs.” In some cases, “women's issues” and cancer were added for good measure. To prop up such outlandish proclamations, a cornucopia of exotic ingredients made its way into rock and ryes at the turn of the century. Additives like cloves, balsam, and horehound were meant to evoke medicinal properties. While its medicinal claims were dubious at best, the sweet and potent amalgamation earned devotees.