Heaven's Door Straight Rye Whiskey

This American straight rye is a collaboration with the musician Bob Dylan, his first and only spirits partnership. It is distilled in Indiana from a rye-heavy recipe of 95 per cent rye and 5 per cent malted barley. The whiskey is aged over seven years, then finished in rare toasted oak cigar barrels sourced from Vosges in France.

Those elongated barrels are named for their shape, and the toasting brings spice and dried fruit rather than heavy char. It is a genuinely unusual finish, and one you will struggle to find on any other rye. Bottled at 92 proof, it keeps plenty of that classic peppery rye backbone.

• The nose opens with orange peel, dried herbs and a lift of mint.
• The palate is spicy and rye-led, with cinnamon, nutmeg and toasted oak.
• The finish is long and warming, with citrus zest and lingering baking spice.

Serve neat, over ice, or in a premium Old Fashioned. Pair with smoked ribs, hard cheeses or a square of dark chocolate.