The Story
About the Product: Before bourbon claimed America's whiskey identity, rye ruled the Northeast. Rye grew abundantly across New York and the mid-Atlantic, and it was the grain that filled glasses from the colonial era through the 1800s — until Prohibition arrived and wiped the tradition nearly clean. Kings County Straight Empire Rye is a deliberate act of revival. Built from 80% Danko rye grown in Ancramdale, New York — a hearty, old-world grain variety with roots in Poland — and 20% English Golden Promise malted barley, it's double pot distilled and aged a minimum of three years in charred oak barrels. One of the only commercially available rye whiskeys made grain-to-glass in the Northeast, it's both a deeply personal expression of place and a quiet reclamation of America's first whiskey style.
About Kings County Distillery: Kings County Distillery is New York City's oldest operating whiskey distillery, founded in 2010 by Colin Spoelman and David Haskell in a 325-square-foot room in East Williamsburg before moving into the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard in 2012. From the very beginning, the philosophy was clear: make every drop in-house, never source from outside producers, and draw on whiskey traditions from around the world to build something distinctly American. Scottish copper pot stills, open fermentation, and locally sourced New York grain have been part of the process since day one. That commitment has been recognized with back-to-back Distillery of the Year honors — first from the American Distilling Institute in 2016, then from the New Orleans Spirits Competition in 2023 — along with a long list of Double Gold medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Bottle Info:
- Proof: 90
- Age: Minimum 3 Years
- Mashbill: 80% New York Danko Rye, 20% English Golden Promise Malted Barley
- Distillation: Double Pot Distilled
- Distilled & Bottled: Brooklyn, New York
Tasting Notes:
- Nose: Honeycomb, orange zest, cinnamon
- Palate: Toffee brittle, dried apricot, barrel spice
- Finish: Maple, anisette, marzipan
Description
About the Product: Before bourbon claimed America's whiskey identity, rye ruled the Northeast. Rye grew abundantly across New York and the mid-Atlantic, and it was the grain that filled glasses from the colonial era through the 1800s — until Prohibition arrived and wiped the tradition nearly clean. Kings County Straight Empire Rye is a deliberate act of revival. Built from 80% Danko rye grown in Ancramdale, New York — a hearty, old-world grain variety with roots in Poland — and 20% English Golden Promise malted barley, it's double pot distilled and aged a minimum of three years in charred oak barrels. One of the only commercially available rye whiskeys made grain-to-glass in the Northeast, it's both a deeply personal expression of place and a quiet reclamation of America's first whiskey style.
About Kings County Distillery: Kings County Distillery is New York City's oldest operating whiskey distillery, founded in 2010 by Colin Spoelman and David Haskell in a 325-square-foot room in East Williamsburg before moving into the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard in 2012. From the very beginning, the philosophy was clear: make every drop in-house, never source from outside producers, and draw on whiskey traditions from around the world to build something distinctly American. Scottish copper pot stills, open fermentation, and locally sourced New York grain have been part of the process since day one. That commitment has been recognized with back-to-back Distillery of the Year honors — first from the American Distilling Institute in 2016, then from the New Orleans Spirits Competition in 2023 — along with a long list of Double Gold medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Bottle Info:
- Proof: 90
- Age: Minimum 3 Years
- Mashbill: 80% New York Danko Rye, 20% English Golden Promise Malted Barley
- Distillation: Double Pot Distilled
- Distilled & Bottled: Brooklyn, New York
Tasting Notes:
- Nose: Honeycomb, orange zest, cinnamon
- Palate: Toffee brittle, dried apricot, barrel spice
- Finish: Maple, anisette, marzipan
