From Maryland Rye to New York Cocktail Culture to Navy Strength Gin with Allen Katz of NY Distilling

Whiskey Lore®: The Interviews

Join me as I jump into a discussion with New York Distilling's co-founder Allen Katz. Starting out in Baltimore, it's no surprise that Allen would find rye whiskey as his passion, but the surprise was - he went to New York City to start a distillery. But before then, he spent life as a bartender in the revitalized cocktail culture of New York. So today we'll talk rye whiskey, cocktails and even find out why the British used to have a different proofing system that we do in the US.

Items we'll discuss:

• How a heist helped choose Allen's destiny
• Bringing Maryland to New York City
• Working with farmers and specific rye varietals
• Does a cocktail need a complex rye?
• The early days of the New York cocktail culture
• The staple rye whiskies for any bartender
• Differences in character between warehouses
• Tasting Ragtime Rye
• The winter hot toddy
• The Empire Rye designation
• The idea of an urban distillery in New York City
• Getting help from others
• Gin and New York's other Matthew Perry
• Navy Strength gin's history and gunpowder
• The basis for the old British proofing system
• Tasting Ragtime Rye Bottled-in-Bond
• The origins of Rock and Rye
• Tasting the Single Barrel