Templeton Rye
 | |
| Type | Rye Whiskey |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Templeton Rye Spirits, LLC |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Introduced | 2006 |
| Alcohol by volume | 40% |
| Proof (US) | 80 |
| Color | Amber |
| Website | www |
Templeton Rye originally referred to rye whiskey made in Templeton, Iowa during the prohibition era as a way for farmers in the Carroll County area to supplement their income.[1] Amber in color, it was considered to be of particularly high quality and was popular in Chicago, Omaha, and Kansas City speakeasies.[2] It was said to be the mobster Al Capone's drink of choice.[3]
More recently, "Templeton Rye" has become used as a brand name for whiskey that its producer formerly claimed was based on a prohibition-era recipe. Distribution of the recent branded product outside of Iowa began in August 2007.[4]
In fact, Templeton Rye brand whiskey is distilled and aged in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, by MGP of Indiana using a recipe shared with other brands. It is combined with an "alcohol flavoring formulation" from Clarendon Flavor Engineers, and finally bottled at an Iowa facility.[5][6] Pursuant to a class action settlement announced in 2015, Templeton will add the words "distilled in Indiana" to the label and remove claims of "Prohibition Era Recipe" and "Small Batch". The settlement also affords refunds to customers who bought Templeton Rye since 2006.[6]
References
- ^ Templeton, Iowa website, "The Story of Templeton Rye".
- ^ Lisa L. Ossian. "Bandits, Mad Men, and Suicides: Fear, Anger, and Death in a Troubled Iowa Landscape, 1929-1933". Agricultural History 80.3 (2006): 296-311 at 302. JSTOR 3744818
- ^ Walker, Jason (2009-07-07). "Templeton Rye of Templeton, Iowa". Heavy Table. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
- ^ Kilen, Mike (15 August 2007). "Cheers, Chicago: Iowa rye makes its return". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 25 August 2007. [dead link]
- ^ Hafner, Josh (28 August 2014). "How Templeton Rye is produced". Des Moines Register.
- ^ a b Noel, Josh (14 July 2015). "Templeton Rye reaches lawsuit settlement, will pay refunds". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
External links
- Templeton Rye Spirits LLC website
- Templeton, Iowa, website
- Interview with Scott Bush, et al. on the reintroduction and history of Templeton Rye (Iowa Public Radio, April 24, 2008)
- Templeton Rye: Iowa's Good Stuff Documentary produced by Iowa Public Television
- Gentlemen Bootleggers: The True Story of Templeton Rye, Prohibition, and a Small Town in Cahoots, a non-fiction book on Prohibition-era Templeton rye.