Photo libraries, in ascending order by bottling year

Brooklyn liquor store owner LeNell Smothers had four barrels of Bernheim rye bottled by Willett in the 2006-2008 years. This bottle is from the first barrel, #1. According to LeNell’s records, this was distilled on 4/29/83, the same day as the Rathskeller Rye.

This 132.8 proof, 24 year straight rye picked by LaNell Camacho Santa Ana while running her Brooklyn based package store. Only 216 bottles were pulled out of LaNell’s 24 year old Barrel #2. The 4 barrels that LaNell picked while running her store in New York have become legendary and have been standard bearers for the straight rye whiskey category that has seen incredible growth in recent years. Unopened bottles of this pick are extremely rare.

Photos and commentary courtesy of Bourbon Benevolence.

137.6 proof, 23 year old, straight rye whiskey picked by LaNell Camancho Santa Ana while running her Brooklyn New York based package store. The 4 barrels that LaNell picked helped set the standard for the straight rye whiskey category that has become very popular. Each bottle is individually numbered, and only 192 bottles came out of the barrel. There are several reasons sited that make these single barrels unicorns of the bourbon community. They are barrel proof, non chill filtered, straight rye whiskey, and of course, picked by one of the best palates in whiskey.

Photos and commentary courtesy of Bourbon Benevolence.