Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/581407
october 2015 / the tasting panel / 7 Metaphysics aside, the prospect of a Paso Robles winemaker making a rye is unheard of, but that didn't stop Austin, who admits he doesn't follow rules very well. He even created the Kindred Distilled Spirits company to market his new whiskey. The result is Highspire ($47.99), a whiskey matured in record time—would you believe 120 days? —thanks to a proprietary process Austin calls "Swiftly Aging," in which his 100% rye distillate is aged in used Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah American oak wine barrels spe- cially selected for Highspire by Austin's winemaker, JC Diefenderfer. But that's only part of the technique; a separate 18-inch-long stave, one of three variations custom-toasted to Austin's specifications by the Independent Stave Company of Lebanon, Missouri, is then placed into each barrel (although the winery uses both French and American oak, only American oak is used for Highspire). Because the wine barrels are toasted, not charred, the deep golden color of the Swiftly Aged rye primarily comes from the staves. The mashbill of 95% unmalted and 5% malted rye is also a factor in Highspire's prematurely mature flavor, which many equate to a three-year- old whiskey. In addition, the spirit is distilled two-and-a-half times in a hybrid pot and column still, plus a pot still, which both date from 1947. What emerges after only four months of barrel aging is a young whiskey that doesn't taste anything like a young whiskey. Moreover, the rye's full, meaty flavor is enhanced with subtle essences from the staves. The ex-red wine barrels also lend a hint of aromatics to this surprisingly complex spirit. The result is a whiskey brimming with thick rye and cherried oak, plus a hint of citrus. Adding a cube of ice releases soft and floral undertones, making this a gentle, 80-proof whiskey to be enjoyed straight and easily adapted to classic and specialty cocktails. "I enjoy drinking brown spirits, but I really enjoy drinking rye," Austin says. "So about five years ago I started think- ing, I would really like to make a rye whiskey. I began thinking more about it, and tasting a lot of ryes." He also began visiting distilleries, talking with distillers and asking ques- tions. Finally, it was in the small town of Crestwood, Kentucky, where he met Steve Thompson, a former president of Brown-Forman Distillery Company, that Austin's dream of making rye whiskey became a reality. Thompson was now Managing Director of Kentucky Artisan Distillery, a cooperative that provides distillation, aging, and bottling for boutique distillers. It was exactly what Austin was looking for, so he became an owner of the company. But wanting to be involved with every facet of his projects, it wasn't enough. "I want to grow my own rye," Austin told a somewhat bemused Thompson. "I want to do a different kind of product, something that is young, and showcases the grain. I want to take the philosophy from winemaking, where it's all about the grape, and translate it into 'It's all about the grain.'" After researching grain sizes, aromas and flavors, Austin settled on Ryman rye. But rather than purchase it from an outside source, Austin convinced farmer Tim Deibel (of Waldeck Farm, a historic 19th century property less than a mile from the distillery) to plant what has become an authentic Kentucky rye, thus making Highspire practically an estate whiskey. At one point, Highspire was a very popular pre-Prohibition rye, started in Highspire, Pennsylvania in 1823 by an Irish immigrant named Robert Wilson. Although Prohibition killed Highspire, Austin has brought it back to life as a completely new and unique spirit. "Highspire is a new class of whiskey," Austin says. "After all, we're getting new drinkers every day. So we've got to break through the wall and give them something different." That's why Austin is also aging some of his rye longer. So it's possible to eventually see a five or ten year old Highspire. Plus, he is now involved with Loaded, a vodka made in Kansas City that just won a Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It's not surprising. After all, when it comes to innovative spirits, you'll invariably find there's Hope. www.highspirewhiskey.com Carole MacDonal—owner/managing partner of La Cosecha Bar and Restaurant in Paso Robles—and Austin Hope sip on Highspire Whiskey cocktails Brooklyn I Love You and Monte Cristo.