Kansas City’s 1st Whiskey Distillery Since Prohibition Releases Bottled In Bond Rye to Celebrate Heritage
J. Rieger and Co has launched its expression of bottled in bond rye whiskey, in honor of Kansas City’s 816 Day (Photo: J. Rieger and C0.)
Kansas City, Missouri-based distillery J. Rieger and Co. has launched its very own straight rye whiskey Bottled In Bond, just in time for the city’s 816 day.
J. Rieger and Co.’s Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled in Bond is bottled at 100 proof. The 6-year-old rye is described by the brand as possessing aromas of cocoa and baking spice with flavors of stone fruit and toasted vanilla.
The Bottled In Bond rye expression a received gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and ASCOT Awards.
J. Rieger and Co. claims it distilled the first whiskey in Kansas City since Prohibition, and the brand hosts over a century of history in the area. Founded in 1887 by Jacob Rieger, J. Rieger and Co. sold over 100 different expressions yet was forced to close its doors in 1919, where it remained abandoned for 95 years.
The distillery was resurrected in 2014 after Ryan Maybee chose to bring the shuttered facilities back to life alongside Andy Rieger, a descendant of Jacob Rieger.
The newly resurrected distillery has a historical exhibit, an on-site bar and its own slide.
816 Day is Kansas City’s holiday for celebrating the city’s culture. The day was named after the Kansas City area code and takes place annually on Aug. 16. The day of celebration offers revelers the opportunity to support local businesses and enjoy the cultural aspects of the city.
“We’re proud to be Kansas City’s original distillery and we’re so proud of this year’s rye release,” President Andy Rieger said in a news release. “… 816 Day is the perfect day to celebrate both! It’s even more meaningful because we released our very first bottled in bond rye on August 16, back in 2021.”
Local festivities will begin at 5 p.m. on Aug. 16. Revelers can enjoy purchasing local wares from Kansas City businesses like Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters, Messner Bee and Green Grass Cattle Co.
Rye whiskey has experienced quite the resurgence and continues to remain a wildly popular category. In June, we released a list of our favorite rye whiskeys of all time, which you can check out here.
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