Hochstadter's Vatted Straight Rye Whiskey (750mL)

Whiskey Review by FWL Contributing Editor Commander Glendidit

With this latest entry from the Cooper Spirits Company, Hochstadter’s Vatted Straight Rye Whiskey, American Rye has achieved near Islay-quality fineness.

Of course, this marvelous dram from Pennsylvania exists in a completely different whisky taste dimension from its single-malted Scottish cousins. As opposed to the single note sweetness of the Canadian labels, Hochstadter’s provides a more “full-spectrum” supply of fruit and spice notes. Hochstadter’s is a specialty blend conjured by the talented Mr Robert Cooper, a third-generation distiller.

He’s the alchemist responsible for re-animating several extinct liqueurs, such as St-Germain, an artisanal French liqueur made from fresh elderflower blossoms, Crème Yvette, a rich berry and violet liqueur and called for by name in vintage cocktail books dating back to 1890; Slow & Low Rock and Rye, a popular snort from the saloon era of the 1800's, and Lock Stock & Barrel, one of the world’s finest expressions of 13 year straight rye whiskey. His alchemy for Hochstadter’s Straight Rye Whiskey involves "A complex blend of hand-selected straight rye whiskeys, aged 14-15 years and curated from distilleries across North America. Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Alberta.”

No way to call that “Too Canadian”!