Redemption

Redemption Whiskey revives the bold, spicy character of pre-Prohibition American spirits — distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana and aged in Bardstown, Kentucky. The high-rye bourbon and rye lineup includes Bourbon, High Rye Bourbon (36% rye), Wheated Bourbon, Rye (95% rye mash), 9 Year Barrel Proof Bourbon, and special cask finishes including Rum Cask Rye and Cognac Cask Bourbon.

Browse all bourbon and rye whiskey at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 36% rye mashbill produce that standard bourbon mashbills don’t?

Standard bourbon mashbills typically use rye as a secondary grain at 10–20% of the total grain bill, where it contributes background spice without dominating the corn’s sweetness. Redemption’s High Rye Bourbon uses 36% rye — 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley — which pushes rye’s contribution from background to foreground. At 36%, rye’s phenolic spice compounds (pepper, cinnamon, herbal character) become the primary flavor driver rather than a complement to corn sweetness. The bourbon still qualifies as bourbon — the minimum 51% corn is met — but it tastes significantly more assertive and peppery than a standard bourbon at the same age and proof. The 36% rye mashbill is at the high end of what major distilleries use commercially; Four Roses uses 35% rye in its high-rye recipe and it similarly produces a more spice-forward character than their low-rye recipe.

What is the difference between Redemption’s 95% Rye and their High Rye Bourbon in terms of production and flavor?

These are fundamentally different products despite the shared emphasis on rye grain. The High Rye Bourbon is still a bourbon — it must use a minimum 51% corn, aged in new charred American oak, and the rye at 36% is the secondary grain. The 95% Rye is a straight rye whiskey — rye is the primary grain at 95%, with 5% malted barley as the only other grain, no corn. A 95% rye mashbill produces one of the most grain-forward, spicy, and dry rye whiskeys commercially available. Where the High Rye Bourbon has corn’s sweetness as a foundation with rye spice on top, the 95% Rye has almost no sweetness base — it is rye character from front to back: white pepper, dried herbs, baking spice, and a lean, dry structure. The 95% rye mashbill is the same specification used by WhistlePig’s sourced expressions and several other notable rye whiskeys, producing the most intense rye flavor profile possible.