From Maryland Rye to New York Cocktail Culture to Navy Strength Gin with Allen Katz of NY Distilling

<p>Join me as I jump into a discussion with New York Distilling's co-founder Allen Katz. Starting out in Baltimore, it's no surprise that Allen would find rye whiskey as his passion, but the surprise was - he went to New York City to start a distillery. But before then, he spent life as a bartender in the revitalized cocktail culture of New York. So today we'll talk rye whiskey, cocktails and even find out why the British used to have a different proofing system that we do in the US.</p> <p>Items we'll discuss:</p> <ul> <li>How a heist helped choose Allen's destiny</li> <li>Bringing Maryland to New York City</li> <li>Working with farmers and specific rye varietals</li> <li>Does a cocktail need a complex rye?</li> <li>The early days of the New York cocktail culture</li> <li>The staple rye whiskies for any bartender</li> <li>Differences in character between warehouses</li> <li>Tasting Ragtime Rye</li> <li>The winter hot toddy</li> <li>The Empire Rye designation</li> <li>The idea of an urban distillery in New York City</li> <li>Getting help from others</li> <li>Gin and New York's other Matthew Perry</li> <li>Navy Strength gin's history and gunpowder</li> <li>The basis for the old British proofing system</li> <li>Tasting Ragtime Rye Bottled-in-Bond</li> <li>The origins of Rock and Rye</li> <li>Tasting the Single Barrel</li> </ul>