Tenth Ward Bottle Club Release: Blackberry Maryland Rye
Written by Monica Pearce, Boss Lady
Maryland Rye Whiskey? Real Blackberries? A marriage made in distillery heaven and yep, it’s about to be a thing! We wanted to highlight our official state spirit with this one and wanted to get you back to some barrel-aged products this quarter. The full combo – our Maryland Rye infused with blackberries, toasted almonds and only very slightly sweetened with natural cane sugar.
The inspiration? Our fab team members! Did you know that our club recipes are the brainchild of the collective Tenth Ward team? We get together twice a year, list multitudes of recipe ideas, have lots of debates and finally vote on what we are 100% sure our members will love.
That process is followed by some intensive research and development. The recipe has to be submitted to the TTB (Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau), our federal governing body. Then a label is designed and also submitted for approval. Four months later (phew!) we can begin to actually develop your product. Some items take a couple months, some even a couple years before they hit your taste buds! Just a little insight into the life of product development!
How It’s Made
Our Maryland Rye is distilled from a 100% malted rye mash bill, technically making it a single malt. The rye is all grown and malted here in Frederick County! The spirit is tucked away in charred oak barrels. We selected a 14 month barrel and an 8 month barrel to blend for this product. Once transferred to a tank, over 200 pounds of real blackberries and 20 pounds of toasted almonds are soaked in the blended barrel strength rye. This particular batch was sitting at about 111 proof. Why infuse at barrel strength? I find that infusions are more successful and pull the most flavor when the spirit is a higher strength.
Now comes the finish! We slowly bring the spirit to 80 proof through cane sugar dissolved with water. This is a tedious and drawn out process because when adding fruit, sugar, etc., we cannot simply check the proof with a hydrometer. Densities, brix (sugar content), proof and more have to be read. Then all the math happens until we get to a place where we are happy.
Tasting Notes: Sweet and juicy with our signature malt on the base. Sprouting a delicious earthy profile that gives a wine or port- like quality. A dessert in a glass where the sugar notes are balanced well with a smack of bitterness that doesn’t overpower. Lastly, your palate finishes with the vanilla, toast and nuttiness that comes from the perfect pairing of almond and oak.
Whether you prefer it neat, on the rocks, or mixed into a killer cocktail, Maryland Blackberry Rye Whiskey is versatile enough to satisfy every whiskey whim. Feeling adventurous? Try it in one of the suggested recipes below!
How to Mix It
Blackberry Bramble
1.5 oz Blackberry Maryland Rye
4 Blackberries
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
In a shaker, muddle blackberries with simple syrup, add remaining ingredients. Shake and strain into a rocks glass. Fill with ice. Garnish with lemon wheel and blackberry
Blackberry Fashioned
2 oz Blackberry Maryland Rye
4 Dashes Orange Bitters
Sugar Cube
Splash of Water
In a mixing glass, soak sugar cube in water and bitters. Muddle sugar cube. Add the blackberry rye. Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass. Add ice and garnish.
Blackberry Smash
1 oz Blackberry Maryland Rye
.5 oz Triple Sec
.75 oz Lime Juice
.75 oz Simple Syrup
6 Mint Leaves
Club Soda
In a shaker, muddle mint leaves with simple syrup. Add remaining ingredients. Shake and double strain into a highball glass. Fill with ice and top with club soda. Garnish.
How do I get my hands on it???
Now, you may be asking yourself how you get your hands on some of this wonderfulness. If you are a bottle club member you are good to go! If you are not a bottle club member yet, what are you waiting for?! MAJOR HINT – this month’s can club release is the Blackberry Smash blended with this same spirit! Make sure to double dip on the club action this year to get them all. Details are on our website: tenthwarddistilling.com.
