Rye Whisky and American Drinking Culture

In this fascinating deep dive on American Whiskey, some of the topics I discuss with author and spirits judge Eric Zandona include:

• A quick rundown of a few pivotal points in our country’s whiskey history, including “The Taft Decision” and the pioneering female distiller who made her mark on the sour mash process.
• How early geographical and climatic constraints set the stage for the traditional whiskey styles that would come to define local drinking cultures in various regions of the US.
• Then, we get regional. We talk about the differences between Pennsylvania-style and Maryland-style rye whiskey, we look at Texas’s unique barrel aging conditions, and we investigate the funky, new world Single Malts of the Pacific Northwest.
• We also talk about some emerging legislation at the state level that classifies certain geographically limited categories, like Kentucky Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey, and the new and intriguing Missouri Bourbon category.
• Along the way, we talk about why craft whiskey is so much better than it was five years ago, why more people should be talking about barrel entry proof, who serves the best Martini in London, and much, much more.

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