The WoodWork Collective and David Jennings, spirits author and founder of Rare Bird 101, announced a collaboration: Raconteur Rye. This small-batch, barrel-proof rye whiskey will be available in limited quantities on May 10, 2024, at a suggested retail price of $129.99.

Raconteur Rye is a combination of three unique Indiana distilled “95/5” rye whiskeys, each aged a minimum of seven years: straight rye whiskey aged in new charred oak, straight rye whiskey aged in a 48-month-cured toasted oak barrel, and straight rye whiskey finished in a second fill Mizunara oak cask that previously held 16-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

In addition, the final blend spent a month in Mizunara to refine the marriage. Bottled uncut and unfiltered at 120.48 proof (60.24% Alc./Vol.), Raconteur Rye offers a genuine straight-from-the-barrel sipping experience.

Curating Raconteur Rye was a dream come true for co-creator David Jennings.

“What began as a challenge to create a new flavor profile resulted in a rye expression reminiscent of the earliest days of my whiskey journey,” he said in a news release. “If you’re a fan of early 2010’s 95/5 rye, you’ll love Raconteur Rye.”

Jennings spent months working with the staff of The WoodWork Collective and their diverse array of exceptional barrels. He added, “It was a pleasure to collaborate with James [Symons] and the distillery team. Their experience and drive to experiment provided the perfect foundation for this project.”

The same attention given to crafting Raconteur Rye was also granted to its look and feel. The labels feature a 19th century inspired design by artist Ricky Frame, printed on a vintage 1957 letterpress at Vahalla Studios in Kansas City, MO. Not only does Raconteur Rye taste like a step back in time, but it looks it as well.

The inaugural release of Raconteur Rye is limited to 520 bottles (750ml) and will be available exclusively at BourbonOutfitter.com. For additional information visit RaconteurRye.com or support on Patreon.