And if you’ve been reading this letters for awhile, then you know of my predilection for small, independent distilleries striving to “push the envelope” with their product. This weeks featured whisky is a classic example of just that: Rough Rider Bourbon, Batch 1 from Long Island Spirits.

Teddy Roosevelt, a native Long Islander, organized the United States First Voluntary Cavalry, commonly known as the Rough Riders, in 1898. Composed of 2,350 men from across the country, including cowboys, Native Americans and other wild west types, as well as Ivy League athletes and aristocratic sportsmen from the East.

This disparate group shared a common purpose: the pursuit if adventure, independence and excellence. Despite winning the Battle of San Juan hill, the Rough Riders disbanded on Montauk Point after only 137 days of service.

Rough Rider Straight Bourbon Batch #1 is inspired by the uncommon virtues of those men.

Each limited batch of Rough Rider Straight Bourbon is meticulously handcrafted at a distillery just miles from where the Roosevelt’s Rough Riders departed, in Montauk Long Island. The whiskey is a high-rye, straight bourbon that starts out as a highly refined mash bill, consisting of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley, and is then aged for several years in charred new American white oak barrels.

Rough Rider is then finished in hand selected American oak barrels, which once held some of Long Island’s finest wines. The wine casks that are selected for the second maturation, described by Long Island Spirits owner Richard Stabile as its exclusive method of “Reserve Aged,” are chosen from the finest wineries on Long Island and are an exquisite balanced blend of award winning Merlot and Chardonnay barrels.

These casks undergo a “cask finishing wash”, with a very unique 180-proof brandy distilled from local Long Island Chardonnay, that tempers each wine barrel prior to filling it with the bourbon. Rough Rider mellows while acquiring its distinctive character during this delicate second maturation period, adding a layer of dark red fruit and honey notes to the small batch straight bourbon.

The bourbon delivers a light, floral nose followed by a smooth, well rounded palate of sweetness with complex hints of caramel, vanilla, and spice. The finish is savory, supple, and encored by a heady heat

Rough Rider Bourbon, Batch #1 ($35.45/ bottle) is an extremely limited production whiskey. But fortunately for us, our man Nicky The Neck has been known to hang out with some very rough riders in his day, and so was able to lasso more than our fair share of this whisky.

So if you want a bottle or two, act now, because once it’s gone…

Until next week…I wish you high spirits!

Doug Stone
Founder
ForWhiskeyLovers.com

Rough Rider Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Batch #1