Black Button Empire Rye Whiskey

The Empire State of Rye.

Jason Barrett’s family has been making elegant buttons for four generations and made sure suits and pants of presidents and popes stayed buttoned. But Jason wanted to pivot into something else that’s fine: Whiskey. His family taught him to work hard and don’t rush things, which comes handy if you’re making Whiskey. He set up shop in Rochester, NY, when he was 24, and began concocting small-batch wonders in the first grain-to-glass distillery in Rochester since the Prohibition.

Black Button Empire Rye is as much a New Yorker as Jason. Almost all ingredients come from the Empire State, supporting the local farmers and businesses, and giving the Spirits a character that arises from the terroir. Whiskey is distilled from 95% rye and 5% malted barley, capturing the essence of New York. It’s unfiltered, too, providing your palate with honest-to-God richness and boldness, paired with the spicy, fruity, and nutty profile. It shines best when neat or on rocks, but if you’re up for a cocktail, make yourself a New York Sour.