Rebecca—
While speaking with a friend about our various spirits the other day, she asked what the difference between barley, rye, wheat, and corn was. I was appalled by such a basic question, but then realized the only reason I’m so intimately familiar with these grains is that I’ve had YOU as a teacher… and because they’re literally the foundation of our business.
So in an effort to provide a crash course for our teammates who may not have has as many years working alongside you on this venture, I’m herein summarizing the differences by reference to pictures — to give a sense of what goes into our spirits.
BARLEY
Our flagship Helderberg Single Malt—aged five years—consists entirely of barley, grown on New Scotland’s very own Indian Ladder Farms. And barley supplies the activating enzyme for all our spirits.
CORN
In accordance with the requirements stipulated by 27 CFR § 5.22(b)(1)(ii), our 68W American Corn Whiskey grain bill consists of 80% corn. It’s also the principal grain (over 51%) in our Helderberg Bourbon.
RYE
Rye is the primary ingredient in my personal favorite of our spirits: Helderberg Straight Rye Whiskey. The peppery bite of rye whiskey resonates with me slightly more than the slightly sweeter kiss of our bourbon.
WHEAT
Wheat features most prominently in our award-winning Helderberg Bourbon, Bottled-in-Bond, and is cultivated by our friends at New Scotland’s historic LaGrange Farm—which for generations has been in the caring hands of the LaGrange family.
So there they are: the “Big Four” responsible for the taste and character of our New Scotland Spirits. Granted, in the coming years we’ll be experimenting with other grains (e.g., quinoa), vegetables (e.g., potato), and fruits (e.g., apples). But these newcomers will have big shoes to fill—for it was these first four of Mother Earth’s gifts that launched our business and brought our age-old dreams to fruition.
— Jesse