Heaven Hill Released a 10 Year Old Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
A lot of spirits have been released in recent days to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States—far too many to cover, and not all of them necessarily worthy of the ink. One that does stand out, however, is Heaven Hill’s new Rittenhouse United States 250th Anniversary Commemorative Edition—an older version of its core rye whiskey that sounds like a bottle that collectors will want to look out for.
Rittenhouse was originally a Pennsylvania rye whiskey, and in fact it is named after Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. The brand was created after Prohibition in 1934 by Continental Distilling Corp. in Philadelphia, and it was produced by that company until the 1980s. It was originally a 100-proof whiskey aged for two years, but became a bottled-in-bond whiskey in 1948 meaning it was at least four years old, exactly 100 proof, and the product of one distillery and one distilling season. Continental Distilling went out of business in the 1980s, as did many other whiskey distilleries and brands during this period when people were just not that interested in brown spirits. But Heaven Hill acquired the brand in 1999, and it has been produced in Kentucky ever since.
Heaven Hill likes to point to the rye’s Pennsylvania heritage, but it’s made from a mashbill that is very much Kentucky-style: 51 percent rye, 37 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley. That’s different from Monongahela style, which is very much a Pennsylvania version of rye whiskey that was made from a whole lot of rye and very little corn. In any case, Rittenhouse has become known as being an affordable, workhorse rye, and a favorite of many bartenders, with deep spice and fruit notes, an ability to shine through other ingredients at 100 proof, and overall versatility.
The new Rittenhouse 250th Anniversary Edition takes all of that up a notch. This whiskey was made from the same mashbill, aged for a full decade, and bottled at 100 proof without chill filtration to preserve maximum flavor. It comes from just 90 barrels that were aged in different rickhouses on different levels to provide a range of flavors to the whiskey. “This special release is a tribute not only to America’s 250 years of independence, but also to the enduring legacy of rye whiskey in our country’s history,” said Molly Vincent, associate director of luxury whiskeys at Heaven Hill, in a statement. “Rittenhouse has long stood as a symbol of classic American rye, and this 10-year-old bottled-in-bond expression showcases the depth and character that define both the brand and the milestone it commemorates.”
We did not get to sample this whiskey yet, and the brand did not provide tasting notes. But we do know that the bottle comes with special packaging to mark the semiquincentennial, including images of stars and stripes and the Liberty Bell. Rittenhouse United States 250th Anniversary Commemorative Edition (SRP $100) will be available in limited markets around the country starting this month, so keep an eye out for a bottle.
