Two James Spirits Catcher's Rye Vermouth Barrel Aged Rye Whiskey
Two James Spirits Catcher's Rye — Vermouth Barrel Aged Rye Whiskey is Detroit rye, reimagined: 100% Michigan-grown rye whiskey aged in new American oak, then finished in hand-selected sweet vermouth barrels — and it is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
Two James Spirits, founded in 2013 by David Landrum and Peter Bailey in Corktown, was the first licensed distillery to open in Detroit since Prohibition. Their Catcher's Rye — named for the founders' fathers, both named James, and for the catchers of Detroit baseball lore — is distilled from 100% Michigan rye and Great Lakes water. This limited expression takes that rye through a second maturation in sweet vermouth barrels, blurring the line between cocktail and spirit: the vermouth cask lends herbal, fruity complexity to the rye's spice.
Tasting notes: warm baking spices, dried cherries, and herbal undertones from the vermouth cask on the nose; caramelized orange peel, cinnamon, and rye spice on the palate; a velvety finish with bittersweet cocoa and herbal complexity.
Why buy it? Because it is a small-batch, limited-release twist on craft rye — sweet-vermouth finishing gives you a whiskey that drinks like a Manhattan component already built in, from Detroit's pioneering craft distillery. Browse the rye whiskey collection, the Two James Spirits brand collection, and more American whisky.
Serving note: stunning neat; also try it in a Manhattan with just a whisper of extra vermouth — or none at all.
What is it finished in? Hand-selected sweet vermouth barrels, after initial aging in new American oak.
What is the mash bill? 100% Michigan-grown rye.
Who makes Two James Spirits? David Landrum and Peter Bailey — Detroit's first licensed distillery since Prohibition, in Corktown.
Is it limited? Yes — a small-batch, limited-release expression.