Dorothy Arzner Straight Rye Whiskey

Dorothy Arzner Straight Rye Whiskey is a 90-proof (45% ABV), 3-year-old straight rye made grain-to-glass in Sonoma County, California for Great Women Spirits — the Francis Ford Coppola family collection honoring remarkable women. The mash is 70% rye (rye berry and rye malt) with 30% malted barley, including caramel and Munich malts; it is twice distilled on a hybrid still, aged three years in 53-gallon new charred American white oak barrels stored in an un-insulated warehouse, and proofed down with Napa Valley spring water from the Coppola family's natural spring. It is named for Dorothy Arzner (1897–1979), the only woman directing films in Hollywood's Golden Age. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• ABV: 45% (90 proof)
• Size: 750mL
• Aging: 3 years in 53-gallon new charred American white oak (un-insulated warehouse)
• Origin: Grain to glass in Sonoma County, California; distilled by Natalie Dale for Great Women Spirits (The Family Coppola)
• Production: 70% rye mash (rye berry/rye malt) + 30% malted barley; double-distilled on a hybrid still; proofed with Napa Valley spring water

The Director's Rye

Dorothy Arzner directed 20 films between the silent era and the early 1940s — the first woman to direct a sound picture, 1928's Manhattan Cocktail — and launched the careers of Katharine Hepburn and Lucille Ball. After leaving the studio system she taught at UCLA, where a young Francis Ford Coppola was among her students; he credits her with giving him the confidence to direct. The Family Coppola's Great Women Spirits line bottles spirits as distinctive as its namesakes, and this rye earns the name: high-rye spice built on a Munich-and-caramel malt backbone, aged honestly for three years. Among rye whiskeys, it is the rare bottle with a Hollywood ending.

Tasting Notes

Rich amber in the glass. The nose offers dark chocolate, dried cherry, fresh-baked dark rye bread, leather, a lift of vanilla and toasted walnut. The palate is full — dark blackberry and dried-cherry fruit over warm roasted oak, rich dark-chocolate caramel, fresh cracked black pepper, rye spice and brioche bread. The finish is rich and lingering.

How to Enjoy

Neat to meet the full spice profile, or as the backbone of a Sazerac, Manhattan or Old Fashioned — rye's classic cocktail roles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Dorothy Arzner?
The only female director working in Hollywood's Golden Age (1920s–early 1940s) and the first woman to direct a sound film; she mentored a young Francis Ford Coppola at UCLA.

What does "straight rye" mean?
Under US law, a straight rye is aged at least 2 years in new charred oak; this whiskey is aged 3 years.

Where is Dorothy Arzner rye made?
Grain to glass in Sonoma County, California, distilled by Natalie Dale and proofed with Napa Valley spring water.

What is the proof of Dorothy Arzner Straight Rye?
90 proof (45% ABV), per the brand's official materials — some retailer listings print "48 proof" in error.

Where can I buy Dorothy Arzner Straight Rye Whiskey online?
This 750mL bottle is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor — it ships from San Diego, CA.

A rye as bold as its namesake — order Dorothy Arzner Straight Rye Whiskey online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.