Templeton Rye Single Barrel Whiskey 6yr 750mL

Templeton Distillery began bottling its four-year-old rye in 2006. It wasn’t until a few years later that it started laying down barrels intended to age longer. So the six-year rye is a newer expression, debuting only in 2016. Templeton, though, quickly started calling the newer sibling its flagship release. Regardless, it’s made the same way as the four-year, starting with a base rye from MGP Ingredients and then adding undisclosed flavoring until it tastes like the distillery believes Prohibition-era predecessors would have in the area around Templeton, Iowa. It’s eventually proofed down and bottled in Iowa. A new full-service distillery in Templeton is scheduled to begin bottling in the next year or two, which will get the brand out of the sourced-whiskey business. In the meantime, the flavoring component is why neither the four-year nor the six-year can be labeled as straight ryes. As flavored whiskies, they’re allowed to add up to 2.5% by volume of flavorings or other additives.