Old Potrero 6 Year Old Rye Whiskey

Old Potrero 6 Year Old Rye Whiskey is a 102.4-proof (51.2% ABV) whiskey made from 100% malted rye and aged a minimum of six years in new, toasted American white oak barrels — the toasted-barrel expression of Hotaling & Co.'s pioneering San Francisco rye program. Pot-distilled in the 18th-century style, it is malted rye treated like single malt Scotch: an American original from the distillery that restarted U.S. craft whiskey. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• ABV: 51.2% (102.4 proof)
• Size: 700mL (per official sell sheet)
• Age: minimum 6 years in new toasted barrels
• Origin: San Francisco, California — Hotaling & Co. (Anchor Distilling)
• Production: 100% malted rye; pot-distilled; 24-month air-dried handmade extra-fine-grain American white oak, toasted (not charred)

America's Original Whiskey, Revived

In 1993, Fritz Maytag founded Anchor Distilling in San Francisco's Potrero Hill with a radical goal: make whiskey the 18th-century way — pot-distilled, from 100% malted rye, in toasted rather than charred barrels. It was the first craft whiskey in America since Prohibition and the return of all-pot distillation to U.S. whiskey. The 6-year toasted-barrel bottling is the matured evolution of that vision: dark fruitiness and lively spice on the nose, rich and complex on the palate, with the pronounced rye spice and pleasant grain character that only malted rye delivers. A rye whiskey for drinkers who think they've tried everything.

Tasting Notes

Per the distillery sell sheet: dark fruitiness on the nose, malty with lively spiciness and a hint of vanilla. The palate is rich and complex — balanced sweetness, fresh clean oak, pronounced rye spice with maltiness. The finish is long, lingering, and complex with substantial mouthfeel and depth.

How to Enjoy

Neat in a Glencairn to catch the malt-and-spice interplay, or with a few drops of water to open the dark fruit. It makes a formidable old-school Manhattan or Sazerac. Browse more Old Potrero and our rye whiskey collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "malted rye"?
Rye grain that has been partially germinated — the same malting process used for single malt Scotch — which develops enzymes and a distinctive malty, grain-forward flavor.

What is the difference between toasted and charred barrels?
Charred barrels have their interiors burned to charcoal; toasted barrels are heated gently, which caramelizes the wood sugars without the heavy char — giving a softer, more nuanced oak influence.

Is Old Potrero a bourbon?
No — it is a rye whiskey (100% malted rye), and because of the malted-rye mash it is technically also a single malt under U.S. rules.

For a taste of whiskey history, order Old Potrero 6 Year online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.