Cardinal Spirits Releases Bourbon and Rye Widely in Indiana for First Time

Bloomington, Ind. ​— Cardinal Spirits, the craft distillery in Bloomington, Ind., has released a Straight Bourbon Whiskey and a Straight Rye Whiskey that are available widely in Indiana for the first time.

For these two spirits, Cardinal Spirits sourced from the very best: MGP, a storied distillery that has been making fine whiskeys in Lawrenceburg, Ind., since 1847. This isn’t Cardinal Spirits’ first brush with MGP: for years, Cardinal Spirits has grown its private-label spirits program by selecting barrels from MGP. Over time, Cardinal Spirits gained access to top-notch barrels of MGP bourbon and rye, and has used them to create delicious blends, straight whiskeys, and single barrel selections.

image credit: Cardinal Spirits

Both spirits are aged over three years, distilled from regional grain, and finished with that trusty Heartland character. Cardinal Spirits Straight Bourbon Whiskey (mashbill: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% barley malt) is 90 proof with notes of caramel, vanilla, chocolate, cocoa, roasted nuts, and rye spice. Cardinal Spirits Straight Rye Whiskey (mashbill: 95% rye, 5% barley malt) is 90 proof with notes of caramel, vanilla, and mint, with bold, lingering spice.

“Our Straight Rye Whiskey is made at what is considered the best distillery for rye in the world,” says Jeff Wuslich, co-founder of Cardinal Spirits. “And, at this age, you get the most expressions for rye. It’s at peak rye-ness.”

Both bottles are priced affordably (SRP: $25), considering their high quality. The idea is to elevate everyday sipping and cocktailing without breaking the bank.

Cardinal Spirits Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Cardinal Spirits Straight Rye Whiskey are available at retailers, bars, and restaurants throughout Indiana, including Big Red Liquors, Belmont Beverage, Crown Liquors, Cork Liquors, and Meijer. FARMbloomington in Bloomington, Ind., is featuring the bourbon and rye in cocktails on its fall menu.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Spirits continues to ferment, distill, barrel, age, and bottle whiskeys and ryes of its own for limited releases at the distillery only.

ABOUT CARDINAL SPIRITS

Cardinal Spirits is a craft distillery in Bloomington, Ind., that makes delicious, award-winning spirits and refreshing canned cocktails. Our products are available in 12 states and Washington, D.C. We’ve been featured in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Punch — and Men’s Journal named our Bloomington tasting room one of the 19 Best Undiscovered Cocktail Bars in America.