Here's some interesting info.
Iowa native plans legal production of Templeton Rye whiskey
(Associated Press)--Templeton Rye, the Prohibition-era single-barrel whiskey, may be making a comeback.
A native Iowan whose family has a history in the storied production of the liquor is planning its legal production.
Scott Bush, president and founder of the boutique liquor start-up called Templeton Rye Spirits, said the first bottles of the trademarked rye whiskey could be produced as soon as this fall.
"We're trying to revitalize the brand and make it legal and sell it," Bush said.
Templeton Rye Spirits has trademarked the name "Templeton Rye" and is treating the recipe as a trade secret, much like the formula for Kentucky Fried Chicken or Coca-Cola. The recipe has been handed down through generations.
Bush said the rye whiskey will be made in small, high quality batches.
Templeton Mayor Ken Behrens said its production could be a boost to the local economy.
"The fact that it's going to be a product that stems from Templeton heritage is that much nicer," Behrens said.
Rye Spirits has worked with Templeton Area Development Corp. in recent months to get the product from the idea stage to customers. The development corporation's contractor is expected to break ground on a basic structure next month, and completion is expected this fall. Rye Spirits, which plans to lease the 2,000-square-foot building, will be responsible for adding the technical components of the facility.
Bush said Templeton Rye Spirits may seek additional financing in the future.
"If it comes to that, our first place to look would be in the area," he said.
Bush, 30, currently lives in Cambridge, Mass. He is a graduate of Wall Lake View Auburn and the University of Iowa. He later earned his master's in business administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after working in the banking industry in Chicago and New York City.
He and his wife Jessica, who are expecting their first child, will be moving back to Iowa, where he said his family has roots with Templeton Rye.
"My great-grandfather actually was involved, and it was interesting hearing those stories," Bush said. "Once we got old enough we would sit around and drink some, and they would tell old family stories. We had always talked about it. A lot of people from where we're from have talked about doing this."