Curiosity question-- types of old rye?

[boss302]

So, I'm going to pick up a few bottles of rye the next time I visit my friend in Delaware. The two Heaven Hill brands are Pikesville Maryland Rye, and Rittenhouse Menongehela Rye.

Are they distinct styles? Or is it just to denote the lineage of the original distilleries before they went kaput?

[sku]

So, I'm going to pick up a few bottles of rye the next time I visit my friend in Delaware. The two Heaven Hill brands are Pikesville Maryland Rye, and Rittenhouse Menongehela Rye.

Are they distinct styles? Or is it just to denote the lineage of the original distilleries before they went kaput?

[boss302]

So, Bulleit Rye, and a lot of the other LDI stuff, would be closer to a Pennsylvania Rye?

[tmckenzie]

I would imagine LDI and our mashibill would be closest. We are 80 rye 20 malt and during our rye runs, I always do a few fermenters of pure rye, using rye malt.

[ThomasH]

Both Pikesville and Rittenhouse are reasonably priced, you should get a bottle of each and try them!

Thomas

[sku]

So, Bulleit Rye, and a lot of the other LDI stuff, would be closer to a Pennsylvania Rye?

Yes, in terms of mashbill. My understanding is that most PA ryes in the ninteenth century were all rye (unmalted and malted). High West has tried to recreate this formula with their OMG rye. Somewhere around the turn of the century, the PA distilleries started using barley instead of malted rye.

I've had three Pennsylvania ryes ranging from 1917 to 1940. Each one has had a similar flavor note that I describe as sandalwood, spicy but more like wood spice than the cooking spices that I tend to get in today's ryes. It's a very nice and very distinctive note that I've never picked up from any rye on the market today.