Spirit Works Distillery in Sebastopol, California, was founded by British couple Timo and Ashby Marshall, bringing a European sensibility to California craft distilling. The Straight Rye uses a high-rye mash bill and benefits from the Sonoma County climate — warm, sunny days and cool nights creating a distinctive maturation environment in wine country.
The California maturation gives Spirit Works' rye a character different from East Coast or Midwest ryes. The warmer climate accelerates interaction with the oak, adding more vanilla and sweetness than cooler locations, while the rye grain maintains its natural peppery assertiveness.
Spirit Works Rye is a well-made California craft rye that demonstrates how location shapes grain whiskey. The Sonoma County terroir — normally associated with wine — proves equally interesting for rye, and the British founders' attention to craft and quality shows in the clean, characterful spirit. A worthy addition to California's growing craft whiskey scene.
