Welcome back to Whiskey Provisioner! Hosts Richard and So-Han (West China Tea) are joined by special guest CJ for an episode dedicated to the art of finished rye whiskeys.
CJ kicks things off by sharing a personal project and his "baby": a future Distillery Reserve Series (DRS) release from Still Austin. It's a 100% Brutto Rye finished in rare White Port barrels. So-Han pairs this 114-proof whiskey with a Sheng Puerh tea, leading to a discussion on how tea and whiskey interact.
The group then explores another unique bottle from Richard's collection: a Saints Alley Nobleman (an Iron Root Republic collaboration), which is a blend of Indiana and Texas purple corn rye finished in Hungarian Tokaji dessert wine barrels.
🥃 Still Austin Artist (Future DRS): 100% Brutto Rye finished in White Port Barrels (114 Proof)
🥃 Saints Alley Nobleman: A blend of MGP and Iron Root (purple corn) rye finished in Hungarian Tokaji barrels.
🍵 Sheng Puerh Tea
Join the conversation as the group discusses:
The Whiskeys: What exactly are White Port and Hungarian Tokaji, and what flavors do they bring to a spicy rye?
The Process: Why is distilling 100% rye so challenging? (Hint: it involves "puking").
The History: Why is rye as a category so distinct from bourbon or wheat whiskey?
Tasting Notes: The crew finds everything from tangerine, front-end spice, and mint to chocolate oranges, vanilla, and salty butterscotch taffy.
Whiskey Origin Stories: CJ, Richard, and So-Han share their "Aha!" moments—the specific bottle or experience (from Laphroaig to Jameson) that made them fall in love with whiskey.
This is a must-watch for anyone who loves complex rye, unique barrel finishes, or just hearing passionate experts share their craft.
Cheers!
⸺ credits ⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺Richard Amiro - host http://richardamiro.comSo-Han Fan - guest https://www.youtube.com/@TeaHouseGhost - https://westchinatea.com/Cory Cranfill - a really helpful guy https://youtube.com/@shedlogic - https://www.righttoolmedia.comC.J. Helms- guest https://www.stillaustin.com/ https://www.instagram.com/stillatx/ https://www.instagram.com/cjhh521
