Dedicated rye whiskey distillery, The Gospel, has made its move into the increasingly popular no-alcohol category with the release of Australia’s first rye whiskey alternative, Responsible Rye.
Responsible Rye has been crafted by The Gospel’s R&D Distiller, Ellie Ash, who has spent over 12 months developing the whiskey using 100 per cent Australian rye.
“There has been a ton of innovation in the non-alcoholic spirits space, but little in the Australian rye category,” The Gospel Co-Founder Andrew Fitzgerald said.
“As fanatics of all things rye, and with the help of our R&D Distiller Ellie, we set out to craft a drink that is inclusive for everyone to enjoy and without compromise. It took numerous trials and tests over the course of a year to perfect, and we are proud to say this drink stacks up in a cocktail or on its own.”
The whiskey has been created using a base of de-alcoholised Straight Rye Whiskey and Ellie has then developed the flavour profile using a blend of botanical extracts until landing on the final recipe. The tasting notes for Responsible Rye describe “an aroma of dried apricot, black tea, cola nut and candied pecan, with stewed stone fruits and an underlying smokiness and warmth on the palate”.
While intended for responsible enjoyment all year round, the launch of Responsible Rye comes after The Gospel kicked off its month-long celebration of ‘Rye July’, an annual event paying homage to rye – the unsung hero of the whiskey world.
This year for Rye July, The Gospel has partnered with more than 50 venues Australia-wide to bring rye-themed cocktails, tastings, dinners and collaborations to inspire drinkers to try rye this July. Responsible Rye will be launched at a special event at Australia’s first non-alcoholic bar, Brunswick Aces, in Melbourne, on Friday, 8 July, providing an exciting opportunity for drinkers to go dry this Rye July. Co-Founder Ben Bowles will be hosting tastings of the new release from 6-7 pm with special ‘cocktails’ featuring Responsible Rye available all night long.
To achieve The Gospel’s signature serve, Ellie recommends mixing Responsible Rye with dry ginger ale and a slice of orange, or simply enjoy it in any classic whiskey cocktail.
