The "Empire Rye" Movement
In 2015, six New York distilleries pioneered a movement to create a whiskey designation intended to stand alongside the likes of the infamous "Tennessee Whiskey" and "Kentucky Bourbon" monikers. Empire Rye is a historical nod to New York's Pre-Prohibition rye whiskey distilling and any bottle of whiskey bearing its mark must adhere to the following standards:
1) At least 75% of the grain used in the mash must be New York grown rye;
2) Must be aged at least two years in new charred oak barrels, entering the barrels at no more than 115 proof;
3) The whiskey must be distilled to no more than 160 proof; and
4) Each step of the whiskey's creation must be completed at one single distillery during one single distilling season.
