Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/504216
may 2015 / the tasting panel / 7 make "a whiskey without the whiskey face." In other words, you wouldn't cringe after tasting it. "We actually did tastings of formulations where we would just survey people's faces after taking a sip of the whiskey," Schreckengost recounts. "We didn't want to just entertain the customer; we wanted to satisfy them with a whiskey so smooth it would welcome any drinker into the wonder- ful world of whiskeys—we were looking for a gateway whiskey." For Reilly's Mother's Milk (40% ABV), they landed on a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley—it also contains a touch of Irish poitín (the only American whiskey with this addition). A full-bodied whiskey, it features maple and vanilla on the nose, while layers of oak, sweetness and spice hit the palate upon tasting; it finishes with traces of oak and maple. The pair next set their sights on reviving the Rock & Rye, a popular recipe in the late 19th and early 20th century in which rye whiskey was infused with rock candy, citrus peels or another spice/sweet. Using rock sugar and natural ginger, Reilly's Ginger Rock & Rye hits home with flavors of ginger, chai spices and caramel, and unlike so many other flavored spirits, it ends sans the stickiness, in a round, refreshing, dry finish. To add to the lighthearted personality of the company, all of the brand ambassadors for the expres- sions are redheads. Although the offerings do well both in cocktails and as a shooter, mixologists have gravitated to Mother's Milk, while Rock & Rye Ginger has quickly become the go-to shot in the on-premise accounts where it is sold, like So & So's in Dallas, TX. "At So & So's, you will see guys in suits sitting next to men with sleeves of tattoos, which means we need to cater to all walks of life," explains co-owner Brandon Hays. "We also have a very concise cocktail program, so we have to choose the best spirit, and when we tasted Reilly's, we knew it would make a great base—it's just wonderful hooch." Speaking of people who enjoy the brand, celebrities have discovered and really gotten behind Reilly's—so much so that a number have decided to invest in the company after trying the portfolio, including actors David Spade, Geoff Stults and Josh Hopkins, as well as NFL insider Jay Glazer and the director of The Duff, Ari Sandel. With availability now in Texas—Goody Goody and Twin Liquors are the brand's top chain accounts—Oklahoma, Arkansas and Los Angeles, Reilly's has his eye on the rest of America. Here comes trouble. Cody Hand, bartender at So & So's in Dallas, TX, uses Reilly's Rock & Rye Ginger as the base for The Hooskerdoo. ◗ 1½ oz. Reilly's Ginger Rock & Rye ◗ ¾ oz. honey ◗ ¾ oz. lemon juice ◗ Muddled mint Shaken and topped with ginger beer. At So & So's in Dallas, TX, the shelves are decorated with items found in co-owners Phillip Schanbaum (left) and Brandon Hays's home, and their beverage menu is decked out with Reilly's Whiskey. PHOTO: JASON KINDIG PHOTO: JASON KINDIG