Virginia’s Oldest Whiskey Distillery Uncorks High-Proof Limited Edition American Rye

A. Smith Bowman unveiled an 11-year-old Abraham Bowman Special Release #26 rye whiskey.

A. Smith Bowman Distillery, Virginia’s oldest continually operating whiskey maker, just dropped the latest addition to its Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Collection: Abraham Bowman Special Release No. 26.

The special edition American rye draws inspiration from the distillery’s inaugural 2010 limited-edition release. Distilled in 2015, the expression is the result of an 11-year aging process in the distillery’s Warehouse A. The facility is renowned for its cool temperatures, which allow for a slower maturation compared to the industry standard of four to six years for rye whiskeys.

Master Distiller David Bock said the release allowed the team to explore how extended aging and elevated alcohol content influence the character of the spirit. The whiskey is bottled at 110 proof, a robust increase from the 90 proof found in the original 2010 release.

“We spent a lot of time tasting this at different proofs, and 110 is where it really came together,” said Bock in a statement shared by the brand. “With a higher proof you’re getting more intensity, but also more nuance. For a rye whiskey especially, this release is incredibly smooth, and the vanilla beautifully balances with the pepperiness.”

The distillery describes the whiskey as having a nose of maple syrup and spring aromatics, with a palate featuring notes of vanilla, apricot and orange zest. The finish is spice-forward with hints of black pepper and mint. Because of the limited nature of the release, the distillery will distribute the bottles through an online lottery, which is scheduled to begin at noon EDT on May 4 and close at noon EDT on May 11. While the lottery is open to participants nationwide, winners are required to purchase and pick up their bottles in person at the A. Smith Bowman gift shop in Fredericksburg.

Winners will be selected at random on May 12 and notified via email. The 750-milliliter bottles have a suggested retail price of $79.99 and must be claimed between May 13 and May 31. Limited quantities will also be available through Sazerac’s distributor network at select retail locations, bars, and restaurants.