When a distillery puts its name on a “Founders” bottle, it’s personal. Smooth Ambler Founders Cask Strength Straight Rye is the unfiltered voice of West Virginia’s most respected craft distillery, bottled with pride, no apologies, and absolutely no shortcuts. This is rye whiskey as it should be: intense, honest, and fiercely small-batch.

Smooth Ambler Founders Cask Strength Rye 75cl
Brand: Smooth Ambler | Category: Straight Rye Whiskey (Cask Strength) | ABV: ~56–58% (varies by batch) | Origin: West Virginia, USA | Vol: 750ml

Tasting Profile
Nose: Bold and herbal, think spearmint, dried orange peel, cinnamon bark, and leather, wrapped in toasted oak.
Palate: Explosive and full bodied. Layers of dark toffee, cracked rye grain, anise, and clove surge across the tongue with gripping texture.
Finish: Long, spicy, and dry, black pepper, oak tannin, and mint echo deep into the close.

Production Details
Distilled and bottled at Smooth Ambler’s Greenbrier Valley distillery, this cask strength rye is non-chill filtered and released in extremely limited batches. Every bottle is selected by the founders themselves, a personal signature on American whiskey’s future.

Perfect For
Collectors of true cask strength expressions, rye fanatics who want raw character, and anyone tired of mass-produced bourbon clones.

Expert Notes
Among American whiskey insiders, the Founders Series is a rising benchmark, praised for transparency, integrity, and serious craft. If you’ve been chasing flavor, this is where the trail leads.

Customer Reviews
“Like a punch of rye spice and old-school honesty. Nothing polished, just powerful.”
“Exactly what cask strength rye should taste like. Explosive, complex, unforgettable.”
“Every sip is a reminder of how good whiskey can be when it’s made with purpose.”

Interesting Fact
Smooth Ambler was one of the first American craft distilleries to openly blend sourced whiskey while developing its own, a level of transparency that earned respect and loyalty long before it was trendy.

Serving Suggestions
Neat for the full intensity. A few drops of water reveal more floral and citrus notes. Skip the ice unless you're prepared for the long, slow reveal of bold rye character.

Distillery Background
Tucked into the hills of West Virginia, Smooth Ambler has quietly built a reputation for no-BS whiskey, crafted by people who live where they distill, and drink what they bottle. The Founders Series isn’t about hype, it’s about heart, heritage, and heat.