If you’ve had a few Manhattans in your drinking career, odds are, you’ve tried Old Overholt rye whiskey. A bonafide bartender’s darling, Overholt whiskey has been around since 1810, and these days, it’s about as ubiquitous as rye whiskeys get. On Wednesday, parent company Beam Suntory announced a new addition to the Overholt brand lineup: A. Overholt.
Named after the distillery’s founder Abraham Overholt, the 47.5 percent ABV release harkens back to the early 1800s. In a stride to revitalize the heritage of Pennsylvania-style rye, the non-chill filtered whiskey employs the same mashbill Abraham used from the get go: 80 percent Monongahela rye grain and 20 percent soft malted barley. Hundreds of years ago, farmers and distillers in Pennsylvania’s Monongahela Valley grew rye that would become the star ingredient in the earliest American whiskeys.
“With over 200 years of exceptional craftmanship, Overholt is engrained in American history with its industrial roots and as a spirit that has set the industry standard since inception,” says Freddie Noe, the 8th-generation master distiller for the James B. Beam Distilling Co,. said in a press release. “The newest launch of A. Overholt is the result of highly crafted whiskey, informed and inspired by generational expertise.”
The original Overholt distillery in West Overton, Pa. is unfortunately defunct, so all of the brand’s whiskeys are now produced at the Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Ky. (Jim Beam acquired Overholt in 1987). A. Overholt joins the brand’s portfolio of ryes, which include Old Overholt 4 Year Old, Old Overholt 4 Year Old Bottled in Bond, and Old Overholt Extra Aged Cask Strength.
This release is now available nationwide and carries an MSRP of $39.99. The famous, familiar, frowning face of Abraham Overholt adorns the bottle label. An early tasting by VinePair confirmed that, just like Old Overholt ryes, A. Overholt is a true workhorse, perfect for sipping neat or mixing up in cocktails.
