How Scotch Distilleries Are Experimenting With RyeWhen the young Scotch whisky distiller InchDairnie launched its latest product early this year, eyebrows and legal matters arose. That’s because RyeLaw, as the drink is called, is made using rye. Rye whiskey may be quintessentially American — indeed, over the course of the last 15 years, sales of rye have rocketed, buoyed along by cocktail culture. But in Scotland, making a rye whisky is tantamount to revolutionary. “We have no heritage to speak of, so all we can rely on to make an impression is our innovation in creating drinks with lots of flavor,” says InchDairnie’s founder Ian Palmer, who is launching his RyeLaw in the United States this spring. “Changing the cereal used is a big part of that. But this isn’t about making an American rye whiskey. This is somewhere between American rye whiskey’s very spicy, strong flavor and the softer, more sippable subtleties of Scottish malt. It very much speaks of Scotland.” The Fife-based InchDairie is not alone. Bruichladdich, another Scottish distillery (owned by Rémy Cointreau since 2012), also recently launched a rye whisky — the first ever from the Hebridean island of Islay — following one from the Angus-based Arbikie, which in 2018 arguably started what looks to become a trend. Some eight other distilleries in Scotland are now reported to be considering a rye-based whisky. Here's how. | 