McClintock Bootjack Rye Whiskey 750ml

McClintock Distilling opened in Frederick, Maryland in 2016 and built its identity around organic, heirloom grain whiskey rooted in the state's rye-making history. The distillery mills nearly all of its own grain on site using a historic stone burr mill, a slow, low-friction method chosen specifically to preserve the light, aromatic character that faster commercial milling tends to burn away.

Bootjack Rye revives a historic high-rye Maryland mash bill built from 75 percent Abruzzi rye, 20 percent Red Fife wheat, and 5 percent Yellow King corn, all certified organic heirloom varietals. The whiskey ages two years in 30-gallon barrels with a medium char, a smaller cask size that speeds up the wood's influence relative to standard 53-gallon barrels. Production runs in small batches, and releases have historically sold out quickly given the distillery's limited output.

The nose carries white pepper and clove alongside blackberry and dark cherry, with air revealing a distinct note of freshly cut coconut. On the palate, sweet cereal grain meets fruity rye spice, bringing clove candy, mixed berry jam, and warm banana bread to the fore. The finish is comparatively delicate, closing gently on that same banana bread sweetness that makes it a natural fit for citrus-forward cocktails as much as sipping neat.