Could rye whiskey become official spirit of the US?
Vermont-based WhistlePig Distillery is on a mission to put rye back at the centre of American whiskey culture with a campaign to make it the official spirit of the US.
The distillery, which is said to be one of the pioneers of the ultra-premium rye category, is looking to mark the 250th anniversary of the US with a petition that will put the category back at the heart of the country’s spirits sector.
This nationwide petition is asking Americans to declare rye as the country’s official spirit, while honouring the grain that shaped the nation’s earliest whiskey traditions.
From now until Independence Day (4 July), fans and patriots alike can sign the petition on WhistlePig’s website: shop.whistlepigwhiskey.com/pages/rye-revolution-petition.
Once the petition hits 1,776 signatures – a nod to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed, WhistlePig will take it to Congress.
“Rye isn’t just part of American whiskey history – it is American whiskey history,” said WhistlePig CEO Alex Roberts. “Before Bourbon, there was rye. Rye was a common grain in early American whiskey production, and it defined how this country drank. As America turns 250, we’re raising a glass to the original.”
To mark the country’s anniversary and the rye campaign, WhistlePig has introduced two limited releases: Rye, White & Blue PiggyBank, and Declaration Wheat Whiskey.
Rye, White & Blue PiggyBank is described as a patriotic take on WhistlePig’s 10 Year Straight Rye Whiskey, bringing together bold flavour and playful design.
Bottled at 55% ABV, it is packaged in a collectable piggybank decanter made for celebrating in style.
Meanwhile, the Declaration Wheat expression offers a lighter, more approachable counterpoint to WhistlePig’s rye-forward portfolio.
Declaration Wheat Whiskey is crafted from an all-American blend with a high wheat mash bill. It is double-aged in new American oak and bottled at 43% ABV. This is said to deliver a smooth, balanced profile designed for easy summer sipping.
WhistlePig Declaration Wheat Whiskey is adorned with a cracked Liberty Bell topper – a symbol of the US’s independence and liberty – to celebrate this year’s milestone.
The whiskeys will be available from 20 May at select retailers in the US and via whistlepig.com/rye.
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