Belle of Bedford 13-Year Rye

We were big fans of our 12-year Belle of Bedford ryes last year, perfumed and oaky yet still spicy. While still elegant and aged, we are back with a now 13-year rye that, similar to our last barrel, remind me more of early batches of Kentucky Owl rye. 
 
Hughes Bros. Distillers burst onto the Seelbach's radar in early 2021. Great whiskey brand requires good whiskey and a captivating story. We often see "captivating" instead of a "true" story. The true history of whiskey in America is often overlooked. Kentucky is famous for Bourbon. American whiskey is actually Pennsylvania. Rye whiskey was first produced by Eastern European settlers in the 17th century. That's where John J Hughes got his start.

 
Hughes founded the Hughes Distillery in 1872 near Schellsburg, Pennsylvania. The distillery was on a farm with a gristmill, 150 acres of forested land, and a productive spring-fed lake. The whiskey produced became well-known and was later renamed Hughes Bros. Distillers in 1890 by John J's sons. The distillery operated continuously until Prohibition began in 1920. During this time, "Monongahela Rye" was the style of whiskey produced. A Monongahela Rye mash bill, used in Pennsylvania, consisted of 80-100% rye grain. The remaining part made up of corn or malted barley.
 
Cyrus Kehyari, the great-great-grandson of John J Hughes, revived the Hughes Bros. Distillers brand in 2020. They source straight rye whiskey from Lawrenceburg, Indiana. This is to recreate that historic Monongahela house style of Hughes Bros. We've released several private barrels from Hughes, and are excited to continue to do so. 
 
Old and elegant, the nose is densely perfumed with both sweetness and spice: sweet oak, candied mint, caramel sauce, peach jam, espresso, and a nip of ginger.
 
The palate continues the richly dense profile with big, herbal-infused vanillas and waves of chocolate and mature oak. The finishing sips lean into pops of pepper and allspice but circle back to a creamy vanilla and cola.
 
The finish is long and tingly, showing light pepperiness, spiced apples, dried cherry, and black tea, all tied together by a dry, oaky close.