Rye and rum shouldn't work together — or so the conventional wisdom goes. RY3 uses a rum cask finish to challenge that assumption, and Crystal and Roger evaluate whether the result is a clever innovation or a case of two good things that cancel each other out. Bottle Specs Spirit: RY3 Rum Cask Finished Rye Whiskey Category: Straight Rye Whiskey — secondary cask finish Rye mashbill: High rye content Cask finish: Caribbean rum barrels ABV: ~46% Price: ~$55–65 What Rum Cask Fini

Widow Jane makes bold claims about their Apple Wood Rye — this is a rye that backs up its positioning with production specificity and genuine character. Crystal and Roger evaluate whether the statement holds up and whether this is worth the space it demands on a shelf. Bottle Specs Spirit: Widow Jane Apple Wood Finished Rye Whiskey Distillery: Widow Jane Distillery, Brooklyn, New York Category: American Straight Rye Whiskey Finish: Apple wood stave finishing ABV: ~45.5% Price

🌾 SPIRIT 101: RYE WHISKEY Rye whiskey is America's original spirit — predating bourbon by decades. It was the dominant American whiskey before Prohibition, nearly disappeared afterward, and has experienced a dramatic renaissance over the last 15 years. If you love bourbon but want more spice and complexity, rye is your next step. What Makes It Rye? American rye must be made from a mash bill of at least 51% rye grain. Like bourbon, it must be aged in new, charred oak containe

Same Old Moses from Wanderfolk Spirits in Guthrie, Oklahoma is already a fan favorite — but now the distillery has released two bold new specialty expressions: a Sauternes Double Barrel Rye and an Amarone Double Barrel Rye. On this episode of The Liquor Connoisseur, Crystal and Roger dig into both to see if these wine cask finishes have the Rye(t) stuff. The Sauternes finish brings a honeyed sweetness and stone fruit complexity, while the Amarone delivers deep, wine-soaked ri