J. Rieger Distillery’s co-founder Ryan Maybee and master distiller Nathan Perry just dropped the best fall bev since pumpkin spice. In August, J. Rieger announced the inaugural bottling of Rieger Straight Bourbon Whiskey, an exciting triumph for the J. Rieger family, who say this Straight Bourbon Whiskey is “the 90-proof bourbon we’ve been dreaming of since reviving the distillery back in 2014.”
This latest release is distilled, aged, blended and bottled 100 percent on site in Kansas City. While the majority of American whiskeys are distilled with a traditional “sour mash,” meaning the spirit is distilled from previous batches, Rieger is utilizing the innovative fermentation process of “sweet mash.” This means that each bottle of Rieger Straight Bourbon Whiskey is highly controlled for each batch, requiring extra care and attention to the flavor profile. Perry is one of only a handful of master distillers to embrace this highly specified form of whiskey distilling. But J. Rieger doesn’t stop there. The whiskey is then moved into a two-step distillation process before being set in Kansas City rickhouse barrels for a minimum of four years to deepen the richness and layering of flavors. Four years later, the product is a smooth, easy-to-mix bourbon that’s approachable for all types of drinkers, from straight-sippers to cocktail connoisseurs. Tasting notes include aromas of candied citrus, baked bread, orange marmalade, cracked pepper and lightly toasted coconut. The 90-proof bourbon boasts a finish of “hints of mild tobacco and a toffee-like sweetness.”
To seamlessly slip this latest Rieger spirit into your fall happy hour, try it as a Manhattan—J. Rieger style—with cherries and a heavy dose of Angostura bitters. For a KC-inspired twist, make it a Pendergast cocktail by adding a splash of Benedictine and an expressed lemon peel. If you prefer your autumn alchemy on the lighter side, shake an ounce and a half of Straight Bourbon Whiskey with lemon juice, fresh mint leaves and simple syrup for an authentic Midwestern whiskey smash.
No matter how you take it, J. Rieger’s sweet mash Straight Bourbon Whiskey is sure to impress even the most stoic of your mixologist friends.
