Straight Empire Rye Release Party

Join us in celebrating the release of a new flagship offering, a Straight Empire Rye that will become a core part of its portfolio. We will be running a special one-night only rye only cocktail menu, an open bar from 6-8pm, raffles, and more. RSVP to claim your spot.

While Kings County has released Empire Rye whiskeys in the past, they have been limited annual allocations and this release marks the first time the inventory is sufficient to create a steady supply. The new 90-proof whiskey bears a gold cap (an internal signifier for majority rye-grain distillate) as well as the Empire Rye insignia—a mark of provenance and quality launched by New York Distillers in 2017. 

“If bourbon belongs to Kentucky, then rye whiskey belongs to the Northeast and New York in particular,” said co-founder and distiller Colin Spoelman. “This is really the culmination of the Empire Rye project, begun a decade ago in Denver at the American Craft Spirits Association’s convention and it has taken fully ten years to have sufficient inventory to create a mainstream rye release which we believe honors the tradition of rye whiskey in New York and stands out from a crowded field of peers.”

The new rye is made with 80% Danko rye grown in Ancramdale, New York and 20% English malted barley. It’s double pot distilled and aged in charred oak barrels for a minimum of three years.

Host or Publisher Kings County Distillery