Ponfeigh Westsylvania Cask Strength Rye

This sample really popped for us when we tasted it blind (and we taste a lot of whiskey!), and it was a new-to-us distillery that we were so grateful to be introduced to by Fred Minnick! It made sense that their whiskey would stand out in a crowd, as at Ponfeigh they’re doing everything we love to see in a partner distillery: making their product with passion, reclaiming a historical style of whiskey, and (most importantly) making a damn good dram. Founder Maximilian Merrill has been cooking this up for a couple of decades, saying “After I figured out how much heritage we lost, it became my life’s passion to regain our heritage by opening a distillery here and sharing it with the rest of the world.” Merrill’s family goes all the way back to Whiskey Rebellion in that area (check out one of Fred’s books for the history there), and the name “Ponfeigh” stems from an exclamation a Scottish member of their expedition made as they lay eyes on what would become their family estate (noting its similarity to his hometown). As to the “Westsylvania” moniker? That was the planned name for their region if they successfully seceded from the US during the aforementioned unrest due to the tax on distilleries! We’re sure glad they’re in the country now.

This authentic backstory is matched by their incredible whiskey. This isn’t just any Rye, but a throwback to the oldest style of whiskey made in America, taking advantage of strains of grain grown in the Monongahela Valley that are so taxed by the thin and rocky soil that the flavor produced is full of incredible depth and sweetness. Although it’s a recognizable 95/5 mashbill, this is not the stuff coming from Indiana, but is a liquid with rich fruits, an amazing mouthfeel, and insane oils in the glass. As Master Distiller Brendon Rawlings says, “In your blend there’s a big fruit note that I think is really unique to our Rye. And then the finish is super long, you’ll walk away and 10 minutes later you’ll say, oh wow.” We think that Ponfeigh is doing an incredible job reclaiming the lost heritage of Pennsylvania whiskey making and preaching the gospel of Rye, and we know our Blind Barrels members will appreciate seeing what Maximilian calls “the whiskey variety that is the spice of life!”