In 2017, a group of New York distillers announced the creation of a new style of whiskey: Empire rye. Any whiskey so labeled must be made in New York from at least 75% New York State rye grain and aged in charred new oak barrels for at least 2 years, along with a few other requirements intended to ensure top quality.
The initial group of distillers—which included nine distilleries located all over the state, from New York City up to Rochester—each released an Empire rye to kick off the bold and ambitious new designation, and Whisky Advocate tasted them all....
