Cocktail in the Rye

A classic drink comes of age. 

While there’s never a bad season to have a drink, spring is perhaps the best. The dark days of winter are past and the warmth of summer is on the breeze. We’re filled with anticipation for days on the river and nights ’round the fire. In our hand, we’re likely to have a beverage; why not make it a highball using some Montana rye whiskey? 

The Booze: Sudden Wisdom Straight Rye Whiskey
Aroma: This is a very young whiskey, so it may be stiff at first. It’s sweet, almost like a bourbon, with notes of caramel and butterscotch.
Tasting Notes: Spicy at first, with hints of lemongrass, typical of a rye. You quickly get some hints of tropical fruit with a short finish that doesn’t linger.
Overall Impression: Like many Montana distilleries, this whiskey is still young, but it’s good for its age. It has “good bones” and in a couple of years, this product will be exceptional—one of the best Montana has to offer.

Cocktail: the Boulevardier
This is a Negroni, but with rye whiskey instead of gin. It’s a natural evolution, bringing a dark spirit into a classic drink that we love. 

Ingredients
1.5 oz rye whiskey
.75 oz Campari
.75 oz sweet vermouth 

Directions
Stir ingredients with ice, then strain into a glass. Serve up (or on the rocks, if you prefer) and garnish with an orange twist.

Mark Lewis co-owns Montana Spirits in Bozeman with his wife Dawn.