Chattanooga Whiskey 99 Straight Rye Malt

Not sure how fast we could spell Chattanooga after nibbling in the new, delicious 99 Straight Rye Malt for a tad too long, but it’s just so good.

Founded in 2011 in Chattanooga in Hamilton County, the former North American distilling hub of the second half of 1800s, Chattanooga Whiskey’s mission was to bring back “Whiskey to the People”. It was the first legal distillery in the city after more than a century of prohibition and complications. Its founders had no small feat in front of them: to make up for more than 100 years.

It’s safe to say that it was no walk through the park. It took years of law-changing efforts, launched by the founders Tim Piersant and Joe Ledbetter in 2011, to finally amend the Chattanooga distilling laws. Plus, a community-powered Vote Whiskey campaign. (OK, this part DOES sound a bit more fun.) They were successful and today, the small craft distillery holds over 100 different barrels and their award-winning Bourbons are featured in three collections: Experimental Series, 1816 Series and Tennessee High Malt, which is a collection of their signature style of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys with a distinctly rich, complex character.

Their new Tennesse Rye Malt expression is bottled at 99 proof and made from four grains, with a blend of slow toasted and drum roasted rye malt. This means that instead of the usual Rye Whiskey plus malted barley combo, the actual rye grain is malted in a Rye Malt Whiskey. Aged for more than 3 years in charred oak barrels, this bottle was inspired by one of the first batches at the Experimental Distillery. It wants to honor the past, all while boldly reinventing the character of Rye. Done and done.

And, to answer the campaign question that (re)started it all, YES, please, we’d love some Chattanooga Whiskey.