LEXINGTON, Ky. — Bourbon may anchor Kentucky’s whiskey culture, but a holiday bottle search can also lead to distinctive American spirits made with Texas rye, Pacific Northwest heritage barley and recipes rooted in Pennsylvania distilling history.
Four offerings from Austin Craft Spirits, Bird Creek Whiskey, Charbay Distillery and Stoll & Wolfe illustrate that variety. Spanning light whiskey, American single malt, malt and hop-flavored whiskey, and Pennsylvania straight rye, the selections offer different approaches to grain, distillation and maturation.
Listed prices range from $50 to $79, making the collection a starting point for shoppers seeking a gift for someone interested in exploring American whiskey beyond bourbon.
| Whiskey | State | Style | ABV / proof | Listed price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin 111 | Texas | Light whiskey | 55.5% / 111 proof | $60.99 |
| Bird Creek Small Batch | Oregon | American single malt | 46% / 92 proof | $79 holiday price |
| Charbay Doubled & Twisted | California | Straight malt and hop-flavored whiskey blend | 45% / 90 proof | $54.99 |
| Stoll & Wolfe Pennsylvania Straight Rye | Pennsylvania | Straight rye whiskey | 45% / 90 proof | $50 |
Austin Craft Spirits puts Texas-grown grains at the center of Austin 111. Its mash bill consists of 70% rye and 30% non-GMO white corn, with the whiskey steam-distilled and aged for at least one year in previously used Texas bourbon barrels.
At 111 proof, it is the highest-strength offering in this group. Despite its name, “light whiskey” should not be read as a promise of low alcohol strength. Austin 111 gives an adventurous whiskey enthusiast an opportunity to explore a category outside the more familiar bourbon and straight rye labels.
The bottle is listed at $60.99, with retailer information available at austin101whiskey.com/where-to-find.
Oregon’s Bird Creek Whiskey takes a grain-focused approach to American single malt, sourcing rare heritage barley varieties from Pacific Northwest farmers. Its Small Batch release combines equal portions of whiskeys made from Baronesse and Full Pint barley.
The 50/50 blend is designed to bring the characteristics of those two grains together, offering a different point of exploration for drinkers accustomed to discussing whiskey primarily in terms of age or barrel treatment.
Bottled at 92 proof, Bird Creek Small Batch is listed at a holiday price of $79 from Oct. 1 through the end of the year. Purchasing information is available at birdcreekwhiskey.com/pages/whiskey-nationwide.
California’s Charbay brings a longer craft distilling history to the lineup. The company established its distilled spirits plant in 1983 and has built a whiskey portfolio that draws on custom-brewed beers and pot distillation.
Its Doubled & Twisted release combines five individually distilled and aged whiskeys: 20% 2013 R5, 20% 2017 R5, 40% 2015 Czech Pilsner, 10% 2011 Stout and 10% 2012 California Single Malt.
All were distilled through Charbay’s custom-made Alambic pot still. The resulting blend provides a potential gift option for someone whose interests cross between craft beer and whiskey, with several brewing styles represented in one bottling.
Doubled & Twisted is bottled at 90 proof and listed at $54.99. Retailer information is available at charbay.com/find.
Stoll & Wolfe’s Pennsylvania Straight Rye offers a connection to the state’s whiskey-making heritage through the late Dick Stoll, former master distiller at Pennsylvania’s Michter’s distillery.
The founders worked with Stoll early in the company’s development, learning the methods that inform its rye production. Its Pennsylvania Straight Rye uses a recipe and process handed down by Stoll, with a mash bill of 60% rye, 30% corn and 10% malt.
Distilled in Pennsylvania and bottled at 90 proof, the whiskey is listed at $50. Purchasing information is available at shop.stollandwolfe.com.
Together, the four bottles show how widely American whiskey can vary beyond bourbon. For holiday shoppers, the choice can begin with the recipient’s interests: an unfamiliar whiskey category, heritage grains, beer-based distillation or a traditional rye-making lineage.
Prices and availability are those supplied for the holiday roundup and may vary by retailer and destination.
