Russell's Reserve Rye Whiskey Released
With their combined 80 years of distilling experience, Jimmy and Eddie Russell have crafted a benchmark in rye whiskey - full-bodied and robust, yet uniquely smooth.
10/10/07 Austin Nichols Master Distiller Jimmy Russell and his son, Associate Distiller Eddie Russell, have joined forces to create Russell's Reserve Rye, a handcrafted six-year-old, small- batch rye whiskey, again showcasing their preeminence as America's premier whiskey makers. With their combined 80 years of distilling experience, Jimmy and Eddie Russell have crafted a benchmark in rye whiskey - full-bodied and robust, yet uniquely smooth.
According to Jimmy Russell, "Rye whiskey is its own animal and rye fans are a special breed. Between Eddie and myself, we figured we could come up with something special." Among the earliest kinds of whisky distilled in the colonial U.S., rye is characterized by its distinct spicy notes, strongly associated with the muscular grit of the young country and its settlers. A ubiquitous whiskey until Prohibition in the 1920's, rye's energetic palate is prized by mixologists, with its ability to both shine through and add complexity to classic and contemporary cocktails.
With the resurgent interest in American whiskies and cocktail history has come a rediscovery of rye, and a focus on distillers such as the Russells who have artfully crafted it for decades. According to Eddie Russell, "The making of Russell's Rye was a real partnership - we knew the whiskey we wanted, but had never tasted it before. This one really makes the grade - deep character and taste, and at six years, aged to perfection." Continues Jimmy "Most memorable things take some time - we're proud to again have our name on the bottle."
Available October in limited quantities exclusively in the U.S., Russell's Reserve Rye is a fitting sequel to this father and son's first collaboration, the much-lauded Russell's Reserve 10-Year-Old Bourbon.
Bottled at 90 proof, Russell's Reserve Rye has a rich, tawny color with notes of almond and allspice. Its crisp, lively taste works in a smooth, complex palate, destined to impress whiskey aficionados with the possibility of an expertly crafted aged rye whiskey.
Russell's Reserve Rye is made by Pernod Ricard USA.
