River Basin Rye brings the history of American whiskey full circle. In the 19th century, New Orleans was the whiskey drinking capital of the nation. Distillers from Tennessee to Pennsylvania shipped their whiskey in oak barrels down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. During this journey, the clear unaged whiskey took on the flavors and color of the wood. When this “oak aged” whiskey was poured in saloons up and down Bourbon Street, it was of amber color with a distinctive woody taste. Thus, the process of aging American whiskey in oak barrels was born.

River Basin Distillery follows this time-honored American heritage.  Located where the Mississippi River bends to form the Crescent City, we source our whiskeys from “up the river” just as it was done 200 years ago.