New ryes

[Gillman]

There are reports of Isaiah Morgan Rye Whiskey, from West Virginia, this is from a distillery that is part of a long-established (20 years) winery called Kirkwood I believe. I don't know if this is a straight whiskey, probably it is not since the distillery makes Virginia Lightning Corn Whiskey and I would think the rye is from the same mash but longer aged (but not aged for two years likely).

A second rye, coming onstream next year according to the current Malt Advocate, is Tempelton Rye, from Iowa. It will be called "Prohibition Era" Single Barrel Rye Whisky and apparently is from an old 'shine recipe current in Chicago during the Roaring Twenties. See www.templetonrye.com which shows the bottle and label design. Some interesting lore there about Templeton rye during Prohibition. Unortunately the production details of the site are not filled in yet.

Good to see new ryes, but who will distill the first modern bourbon outside of Kentucky (exception made for the redistillation done by Buffalo Trace's distillery in Virginia)...? As far as I know no bourbon is being made outside Kentucky and the former Smith Bowman in Virginia except maybe for McCormick of Missouri but I think Heaven Hill now distills whatever McCormick used to make and may still sell in the way of bourbon and corn whiskey. Seagram used to have a distillery in Indiana and I don't know what happened to it, did Kirin buy that as well as Four Roses?

Gary

[Hedmans Brorsa]

Virginia Lightning Corn Whiskey

Never heard of this one before. Is this a common phenomenon in the US, i.e. lots of anonymous corn whiskeys produced for specific markets?

So far, I´ve only been able to track down Mellow Corn. While it is unlikely that it will ever crack my top 10 it is nonetheless a big charmer. I would love to try the other two bottlings from HH, as well, but so far they´ve only managed to distinguish themselves by their total invisibilty.

[bobbyc]

Seagram used to have a distillery in Indiana and I don't know what happened to it, did Kirin buy that as well as Four Roses?

Don't know who owns it, perhaps Pernod Ricard because that is where they are moving the bottling of Wild Turkey to.

Strange, it seems at one time there was talk of Diageo moving the production of George Dickel there also.

[TNbourbon]

From the Register-Herald, Beckley, WV, April 27, 2006:

"SUMMERSVILLE — Lionel Rodney Facemire, 64, died Tuesday, April 25, 2006, in the Hubbard Hospice House in Charleston.

He was the son of Jessie Butcher Facemire of Summersville and the late Foster Rodney Facemire, and was born at Charleston on May 7, 1941.

He was the founder of Kirkwood Winery in Summersville, a member of the Nicholas County Farm Bureau and Fair Board, the Southern West Virginia CVB, Odd Fellows Lodge No. 25 and Summersville Walkoma Lodge No. 52 Order of the Eastern Star. He was a member of Summersville Masonic Lodge No. 76, the Beni Keedem Temple, 32nd Degree Scottish Rite, York Rite and Summersville Memorial United Methodist Church.

Surviving besides his mother are his wife, Carol Hamrick Facemire; a daughter, Kaitlyn Elizabeth Margaret Facemire at home; sons, Timothy Isaiah Morgan Facemire at home and Lovell Richard Facemire of Elkview; three brothers, Shirley Morris of Canvas, David Facemire of Titusville, Fla., and Daniel Facemire of Radford, Va.; three sisters, Patty Cook and Joan McKenzie, both of Summersville, and Shirley Yoxtheimer of Bostwick, Fla.; and five grandchildren..."

I believe the distillery/winery has some rye in barrels intended eventually to be issued as a 'straight'. I cannot find any reference to what effect Mr. Facemire's passing might have on distilling, but he was prominent in changing West Virginia laws to allow the making and retail sale of local whiskey.