J. Rieger & Co. Brings Back ‘Crown Jewel’ Whiskey That Honors Spanish Aging Technique Dating Back to the 1700s

J. Rieger unveiled its latest whiskey, which implements a fractional blending process from a solera system. (Photo: J. Rieger & Co.)

Earlier in June, J. Rieger & Co. announced the release of the brand’s 2024 Monogram Whiskey: Kansas City Whiskey — Solera Reserve. This whiskey implements the Spanish solera method, which is most often used in sherry production. Rieger aged the whiskey in 10 barrels up to a century old.

J. Rieger’s 2024 Monogram Whiskey clocks in at 50% ABV, and just 2,000 bottles are available. The whiskey can be purchased directly from the brand for $130.

For the 2024 blend, the team at J. Rieger & Co. mixed bourbon, rye and a light corn whiskey that had been aging within the solera system since 2015. J. Rieger additionally added 15-year-old oloroso, a type of sherry known for its nutty and oxidative nature.

The Kansas City, Missouri-based whiskey brand claims the solera system incorporates a fractional blending process to age the whiskey. Within the solera, small portions of whiskey are removed from specific barrels, and a newer batch is topped up throughout the years. The brand claims the sherry botas are sourced from Williams & Humbert’s Drysack and housed a 15-year-old Oloroso sherry.

“It cannot be underestimated how special and rare our sherry botas are,” J. Rieger & Co. co-Founder Ryan Maybee said in a news release. “Often you will see ‘sherry cask finished’ on a whiskey label, but those are usually made with traditional 53 gallon American oak barrels that are simply conditioned with sherry. We have obtained botas that were used over and over again for 50 to 100 years to actually make the sherry in Jerez de la Frontera. We use these barrels to age and then blend our whiskies, topping off each as we take from them. The result over time is truly remarkable, showcasing terroir of each bota and producing a truly beautiful whiskey.”

J. Rieger claims the brand’s 2024 Monogram Whiskey possesses a nose of buttered popcorn, maple, cedar and tobacco coupled with caramelized orange; a palate with flavors of cream soda, butter pecan, dried fruits and chocolate-covered cherry; and an acidic finish with sea salt and caramel.

Those interested in the solera aging process and how it is implemented in the creation of the brand’s 2024 Monogram Whiskey: Kansas City Whiskey — Solera Reserve can watch Maybee discuss the process at length in the video below:

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