Darn camera is torn up, but I'll post pics when I can. We opened the bottles and gave them a preview today. The Hiram Walker was the most rye like. Smells like rye and you can actually taste a rye background to this one. The Jacquin's is the most classic package of wide mouth, square bottle, older style lettering on label. This was sweeter than the Walker and a bit more viscous. The Leroux and the Mr. Boston fell behind. Boston was a bit bland and both seemed like they were prolly a faint resemblance of what they maybe once were. I'm trying to find out if anyone is actually using rock candy in them anymore. Prolly not. Prolly the good folks of ADM supplying high fructose corn syrup. *sigh*
I ran across the rock candy folks Dryden and Palmer who say they are the only rock candy folks left after prohibition. I'm hoping to land a few Victorian trading cards with Tolu Rock and Rye ads on them touting the glories of the beverage for colds and consumption.
Ran across this old song lyric:
"...Farewell to Tom and Jerry
Farewell to Rock and Rye
It's a long way to old Kentucky
For Alabama done gone dry."
--American Negro Folk-Songs, p. 355. (Reported from Auburn, Ala. 1915-1916; to the tune of "Tipperary." White, Newman Ivey. American Negro Folk-Songs. Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Press, 1928.
Couple of my favorite rock n' rye cocktails:
ROCK N RYE COCKTAIL
1 oz Rock and Rye® liqueur
1 oz white port
1 1/2 tsp dry vermouth
Stir over ice in shaker and strain into chilled cocktail glass.
ROCK N RYE COOLER
1 oz rock and rye
1 ½ oz vodka
1 tbspn lime
lemon/lime soda
Pour first three in tall glass filled with ice. Top with soda.