Corbin Cash 1917 Barrel Proof Merced Rye Whiskey
Corbin Cash 1917 Barrel Proof Merced Rye Whiskey is a grain-to-glass California rye — 100% estate-grown Merced rye from the Souza family farm — aged up to six years in new charred American oak and bottled unfiltered at 61.5% ABV (123 proof) in a 750mL bottle. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 61.5% (123 proof) — bottled at barrel proof, unfiltered
- Size: 750mL
- Mash bill: 100% Merced rye — grown on the Souza family farm as a winter cover crop between sweet potato plantings
- Aging: up to 6 years in new, charred American white oak barrels
- Origin: Corbin Cash Distillery, Atwater, California — founded 2017 by fourth-generation farmer David Souza; named for his son
- Style: "1917" honors the founding of the Souza farm three generations earlier
A Rye That Started as a Cover Crop
The Souza family has farmed California's San Joaquin Valley for nearly a century, raising sweet potatoes; Merced rye was the winter cover crop that protected the soil between plantings. Distiller David Souza turned that ultra-rare native grain into whiskey — double pot-distilled, aged in custom-charred oak, and bottled at full barrel proof with nothing added and nothing taken away. It is seed-to-sip whiskey from one family farm.
Tasting Notes
The nose runs fresh and green — peppermint, botanicals, and honey over rye bread and gingersnap. The palate is bold and dry-spiced: cinnamon oil, cardamom, clove, anise, caramel, dark cherry, pecan, and dark chocolate. The finish is long and warming — peppery spice, citrus zest, gingerbread, and molasses that linger after the heat fades.
How to Enjoy
Pour neat with patience — at 123 proof a few drops of water unlock the caramel and spice beneath the heat. This is a rye whiskey built for a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned, and it makes a Sazerac with real backbone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Merced rye?
An ultra-rare California-native rye grain, grown as a sustainable winter cover crop on the Souza family farm in Merced County — this whiskey is 100% Merced rye.
What does barrel proof mean?
The whiskey is bottled at its natural barrel strength (123 proof) with no water added and no filtration.
How old is Corbin Cash 1917 rye?
It carries no age statement; reviewers document up to six years in new charred American oak, with a minimum of five.
Order Corbin Cash 1917 Barrel Proof Merced Rye online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — California rye at full strength.