Koval Single Barrel Rye Whiskey
Koval Single Barrel Rye Whiskey is grain-to-bottle Chicago craft — 80 proof (40% ABV), distilled from 100% organic rye grown by a Midwest farmer collective, aged in new charred American oak, and bottled one barrel at a time, unfiltered, as a heart cut. Koval, founded in 2008 by Robert and Sonat Birnecker, was Chicago's first distillery since Prohibition. This 750mL bottle is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof), unfiltered
- Size: 750mL
- Mash bill: 100% rye (certified organic)
- Style: single barrel, heart cut, new charred American oak
- Distillery: Koval Distillery, Chicago, Illinois (est. 2008)
- Awards: 1st Place, Best International Whisky, 2013 InterWhisky Competition
Chicago's First Distillery Since Prohibition
The Birneckers built Koval around an Austrian still and a local grain ethos — organic rye from a farmer collective, distilled in Chicago, bottled at the distillery. The single-barrel program means no two barrels are identical: each bottle is a heart cut from one cask, unfiltered. The Wall Street Journal praised its "fresh and light" character, "with a mapley, candy corn entry and a kiss of spice on the finish" — remarkable for a whiskey that is 100% rye grain.
Tasting Notes
Despite being entirely rye, it drinks fresh and light: a mapley, candy-corn entry gives way to a kiss of spice on the finish (per the Wall Street Journal tasting quoted on Koval's official sheet).
How to Enjoy
A single-barrel rye rewards neat sipping — try it alongside a standard rye to taste what the single-cask, unfiltered bottling changes. Organic-grain whiskey fans can explore more rye whiskey or the rest of Koval's Chicago lineup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Koval rye organic? Yes — certified organic, distilled from organic rye.
What does "single barrel" mean here? Each bottle comes from one barrel, bottled as a heart cut, unfiltered.
What is the proof? 80 proof (40% ABV), 750mL.
Has it won awards? 1st Place, Best International Whisky, at the 2013 InterWhisky Competition.
Chicago craft in a single barrel — order Koval Single Barrel Rye Whiskey online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.