Australian Riff On Rye Whiskey Comes To America
The Gospel Straight Rye Whiskey–made of 100% Australian unmalted rye–has come to the US. The Gospel is bringing together traditional American whiskey history with its Australian culture and environment. Already in markets in France, Germany, the UK, Hong Kong and China, The Gospel marks its US launch in over 29 states.
New to the scene, The Gospel launched in September 2019, and has already become incredibly popular amongst a seemingly cult following of rye whiskey fanatics – with all limited releases selling out within hours. The Gospel is the first Australian whiskey that is legally labelled as ‘Straight’ as it is made to the strict distillation and maturation process required that is typical of American whiskeys. The whiskey is double distilled and aged for two years in charred, new American oak barrels sourced from Kentucky, where the oak is obtained from a single forest.
True to their Australian roots – The Gospel takes food and beverage seriously. They source their rye grain from a single farm in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia, one of the driest regions of the driest country in the world. Coupled with Melbourne’s dynamic climate, the small and dense rye grain from this area produces a unique rye whiskey unlike any other – grain-forward and full of the cereal character of the soil from which it originated. “We are thrilled to be launching our whiskey in the US,” says Andrew Fitzgerald, co-founder of The Gospel. “We believe we are perfectly marrying two cultures, and bringing our expertise to the forefront with a unique whiskey, one that is distinctly flavorful, with a
grain-forward character and stronger oak influence. It is a true Melbourne whiskey that reflects the city of where it has been made, while paying homage to the heritage of rye whiskey in the States.”
In fact, The Gospel was founded with the US market in mind, and rye specifically was inspired by a trip that Fitzgerald and his Co-Founder Ben Bowles took to the US in 2016. They visited multiple distilleries from Kentucky to Washington, went to over 70 bars, and asked Americans what they were drinking and their thoughts on the next ‘big thing’, of which rye whiskey was consistently mentioned.
With a resurgence of cocktail culture across the globe, The Gospel aims to bring rye whiskey to the forefront yet again, to be used as the base for the classic cocktails as they were originally created – from the Manhattan to the Old Fashioned and more.
In light of this, The Gospel worked with Best Bartender In The World (2018), Orlando Marzo, for the US launch. Residing in Melbourne, Marzo created three unique, world class cocktails that hero the Straight Rye Whiskey, demonstrating its versatility and exploring how rye whiskey can be enjoyed.
The Gospel Whiskey is available to purchase online at usa.thegospelwhiskey.com and is priced at $50 per bottle.
