Wright & Brown Distilling Co.

A craft grain-to-glass distillery using centuries old methods to create exciting new California spirits that stand the test of time.

Our bottle shop is open from 1-6pm Tuesday through Saturday at 2715 Magnolia Street, Oakland.

shop@wbdistilling.com

(510) 922-1429

 

Wright & Brown Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey 

Our award winning Cask Strength Rye is the first of our Cask Strength Series. 


It’s a rare commodity as it is only produced once a year in extremely small batches. With small batches there is little room for error because even small impurities can stand out like a sore thumb.  Because of this we have to take extra care to select only the most complex and balanced rye so you can get a pure, unadulterated taste of what our spirits taste like right out of the barrel.


To maintain flavor and a full mouthfeel, we do not chill-filter our whiskies.  This keeps all of the fatty acids, proteins and esters that give our whiskey their amazing herbaceous qualities right where they are supposed to be - inside of your glass. 


Our latest batch clocks in at 58.5% ABV, but even at that high level, our cask whiskey has a smooth sweetness to it.  A sweetness that only becomes more pronounced as it is expressed with water.  Drinking Cask Strength gives you the power to control the strength and the aromatic profile of your dram by adding water as you please, catering the whiskey experience to your whims. 


As the base of our Cask Strength, we use non-GMO malted rye as well as estate grown, organic, unmalted rye from a family farm up in the Mattole Valley of Humboldt County of California.  We then supplement with a good portion of malted Barley as homage to the old Appalachian style of Rye known as Monongahela (MO-non-gah-HEEL-a).  Monongahela Rye comes from Pennsylvania and Western Maryland.  It’s been around since the 1770s and was the first famous style of American whiskey.  Like our forefathers before us, we use this same mash bill and sweet mash fermentation technique. These centuries old methods paired with our copper pot still, produce a chewier, spicier, deeper rye. One that we want to keep passing on for generations to come. 


Our whiskey is a completely different style than what you would find in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana ryes which often have high levels of corn and use a column still.  It is rich, floral and grassy with a depth of character that you rarely find in commercial whiskies today. 


When aging a fine cask strength rye the results are incredible: it’s a robust, round mouthfeel with notes of candied ginger, apricot, dates and sage.  The idea behind our cask strength rye is to be able to taste rye whiskey, pure and unadulterated right out of the barrel and experience the results of the high quality oak maturation.

Awards

The Cask Strength Rye was awarded a Gold Medal by the American Distilling Institute in the 2019 National Judging of Craft Spirits. 

Before 2019, no California Rye had ever received this honor. 

Mash Bill

70% Rye

30% Malted Barley 

Flavor Description

Nose - cinnamon, dates and pepper 

Palate - intense, rich and round with flavors of spicy candied ginger, cloves, dark cherry and sage.

Finish - Notes of apricot and vanilla with a full long finish. 

Bottling Details

Bottled at 56.1% ABV

Non-chill filtered 

No Colors Added

Sourcing

Grains - Humboldt County, Sacramento Valley 

Malts - Non-GMO from California, Germany and Ireland 

Woods - #3 Charred 53G and 30G American Oak from Seguin Moreau in Napa, CA , 53G from Independent Stave Company

Recommendations

Enjoy Straight or On a king cube.  

Also makes a killer Old Fashioned with Arabic Gomme Syrup.