Hi-Time's Top Spirits of 2025
Leopold Bros painstakingly re-engineered a Three Chamber Still from old manuscripts and grew the heritage grain Abruzzi rye that was favored by Pre-Prohibition distillers to resurrect this one-of-a-kind whiskey. Originally used by famous American whiskey distillers like Jack Daniels and Stitzel-Weller, the Three Chamber Still made incredibly oily and intensely flavorful whiskeys before it fell out of fashion after Prohibition due to its lack of efficiency. In the 1960s, the Three Chamber Still disappeared completely until Todd contacted Vendome in Kentucky to construct the first iteration seen in the U.S. in over five decades. Working without a net, Todd followed the traditional American distillation practices he had researched for years—filling barrels at 50% ABV instead of 62.5%—to create the first Three Chamber rye whiskey produced in generations.
This 9 year old limited cask strength release is not only the old Three Chamber rye Leopold Bros. have released, but also the highest in proof. Having finally seen some evaporation in their dunnage warehouse, the ABV has slowly crept up and the flavors are more concentrated than ever.
For those who still appreciate classic American craftsmanship, the Three Chamber rye whiskey is a step back in time to a golden age of distillation.
The Leopold Bros Maryland Style Rye is an homage to a Pre-Prohibition regional style of whiskey making that has been lost for over fifty years. Immensely popular with Union Soldiers stationed in Washington DC during the Civil War, Maryland rye became renowned for its softer, fruitier character and its reputation only grew from there. After Prohibition, many of Maryland’s distilleries were sold off for their property value, or turned over to industrial enterprises looking to capitalize on Maryland rye’s reputation with a cheaper substitute. The last Maryland rye distillery from that era shuttered its doors in 1972.
Thanks to a friendly collector, Todd Leopold was able to sample numerous bottles of real Maryland Rye Whiskey from 60+ years ago and catalogued their flavor profiles. Working from those tasting notes, the Leopold Bros’ Maryland Style Rye Whiskey is made with a mash bill of 65% rye, 15% corn and 20% of their beloved floor malted barley.
Using a variant of yeast that brought out the fruitiness of the rye, rather than its spiciness, the whiskey was pot distilled and aged five years in their Colorado dunnage warehouses. The resulting spirit is fruity and floral at its core with a soft, buttery finish that emulates the rye whiskies of Maryland.
Leopold Bros painstakingly re-engineered a Three Chamber Still from old manuscripts and grew the heritage grain Abruzzi rye that was favored by Pre-Prohibition distillers to resurrect this one-of-a-kind whiskey. Originally used by famous American whiskey distillers like Jack Daniels and Stitzel-Weller, the Three Chamber Still made incredibly oily and intensely flavorful whiskeys before it fell out of fashion after Prohibition due to its lack of efficiency. In the 1960s, the Three Chamber Still disappeared completely until Todd contacted Vendome in Kentucky to construct the first iteration seen in the U.S. in over five decades. Working without a net, Todd followed the traditional American distillation practices he had researched for years—filling barrels at 50% ABV instead of 62.5%—to create the first Three Chamber rye whiskey produced in generations.
This 9 year old limited cask strength release is not only the old Three Chamber rye Leopold Bros. have released, but also the highest in proof. Having finally seen some evaporation in their dunnage warehouse, the ABV has slowly crept up and the flavors are more concentrated than ever.
For those who still appreciate classic American craftsmanship, the Three Chamber rye whiskey is a step back in time to a golden age of distillation.
The Leopold Bros Maryland Style Rye is an homage to a Pre-Prohibition regional style of whiskey making that has been lost for over fifty years. Immensely popular with Union Soldiers stationed in Washington DC during the Civil War, Maryland rye became renowned for its softer, fruitier character and its reputation only grew from there. After Prohibition, many of Maryland’s distilleries were sold off for their property value, or turned over to industrial enterprises looking to capitalize on Maryland rye’s reputation with a cheaper substitute. The last Maryland rye distillery from that era shuttered its doors in 1972.
Thanks to a friendly collector, Todd Leopold was able to sample numerous bottles of real Maryland Rye Whiskey from 60+ years ago and catalogued their flavor profiles. Working from those tasting notes, the Leopold Bros’ Maryland Style Rye Whiskey is made with a mash bill of 65% rye, 15% corn and 20% of their beloved floor malted barley.
Using a variant of yeast that brought out the fruitiness of the rye, rather than its spiciness, the whiskey was pot distilled and aged five years in their Colorado dunnage warehouses. The resulting spirit is fruity and floral at its core with a soft, buttery finish that emulates the rye whiskies of Maryland.
