I recently received word that local craft distiller, 45th Parallel Spirits, would soon be coming out with a new rye whiskey. They are planning to release New Richmond Rye to the public at the distillery Sunday, February 10, from noon to 5 pm.
I reached out to Co-founder Paul Werni to answer a few questions regarding the upcoming release.
So tell me, why did you decide do a rye whiskey?
Historically it is a true American whiskey dating to colonial times, there are comparatively few rye options on the shelves, and a good rye whiskey is enjoyable to drink.
What's the age of the whiskey?
The first release is 2 1/2 years. We will stagger the release to allow for 3 and 4 year aging.
What is the proof it will be bottled at?
92 proof
What is the approximate price?
$40 to $45 pre-tax. $45 tax included at our distillery
Will this be available any where other than the distillery?
This spring it will be available in Northwestern WI and the Minneapolis Metro.
How many bottles do you anticipate the first batch will yield? When are you anticipating the next batch to be ready?
600 initially then 300 bottles per month until 2014 when the monthly number will double.
Catch all question here: Is there anything special that might interest a whiskey enthusiast to try your take on rye whiskey?
It is not 100% rye. Some corn is included.
All grain comes from local farms within minutes of our building.
Aged in traditional 53 gallon barrels. No small barrels.
All mashing, distilling, aging, and bottling takes place at our distillery.
This is a Straight Rye Whiskey.
I'd like to thank Paul for taking the time to answer my questions. 45th Parallel Spirits, LLC is located at: 1570 Madison Avenue, New Richmond, WI 54017. They produce 45th Parallel Vodka, Midwest Vodka, Midwest Gin, Border Bourbon and other distilled spirits. If you'd like to learn more about their bourbon, I did a post about the launch party and a review of it here. They make good stuff. For what it's worth, their vodka is the vodka I keep in the house. I hope to pick up a bottle of the rye and I'll review it here when I do.