BENDERS

While many modern whiskeys take their names from bourbon aristocrats of the past Colonel E.H. Taylor, George T. Stagg and W.L. Weller, to name a few Benders Rye Whiskey is made by a real, living man by the name of Carl Bender. Bender, who is an illustrator, designer and self-proclaimed whiskey aficionado, teamed up with his pal Christopher Cohen, who boasts twenty years of experience in the wine and spirits industry along with "superhuman" taste buds, to launch Treasure Island Distillery in 2011.Located on Treasure Island, the landmass emerging between the Oakland and San Francisco sides of the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island Distillery shares real estate with the navy and an auxiliary air facility. (Treasure Island was also the site of the 1939 Worlds Fair, and is a California Historical Landmark). While Treasure Island is technically a neighborhood of San Francisco, Bender and Cohen speculate that its "more hospitable to spirits than people."Benders Rye Whiskey was crafted in honor of Treasure Island Distillerys first foray into Manhattan, and is blended from five-year-old rye and eight-to-9-year-old corn whiskeys sourced near Alberta, Canada. Some of the whiskeys are aged in year-old Bourbon barrels and Hoffmeister barrels are used for selective additional aging.As a result, Benders Rye has a sweet and spicy character, including hints of vanilla and caramel, which leads to a palate accented by notes of nutmeg, cinnamon and molasses. The finish is long and dry, with notes of raisins and buttered toast. Pick up a bottle today!