The Continental Distilling Corporation in Philadelphia, PA, which was formed once prohibition ended, introduced “Rittenhouse Square Rye” in 1934. It was named after Philadelphia’s “Rittenhouse Square,” whose namesake is owed to renaissance man David Rittenhouse. Bottled-in-Bond is an old mark of quality that indicates a spirit is produced from a single distillery, aged at least 4 years, and bottled with at least 50% abv.
THE FLAVOR PROFILE
Aroma features dried fruits, toffee and sweet peppers. Palate is clean, rich, with complex notes of cocoa, baking spices, and oak. Finish lingers with weighty spiced maple.
CATEGORY DESCRIPTION
Rye whiskey is arguably America’s original “native spirit,” in fact until 1920 it had the lion’s share of the whiskey market. However, prohibition killed off most of the rye producers, to be replaced with the current king, Bourbon. This whiskey must be made with a minimum of 51% rye in the grain bill. Often features a distinctive “spice” character along with a slightly oily mouthfeel, attributed to the makeup of these particular whiskeys. If aged a minimum of two years, brands may designate “Straight Rye Whiskey” on the label.
