Wyoming Whiskey Introduces the 2024 Bottling of Outryder Straight American Whiskey

KIRBY, Wyo. (June 3, 2024) –– Wyoming’s first legal distillery, Wyoming Whiskey, is proud to announce the launch of the newest bottling of Outryder Straight American Whiskey. Outryder is a whiskey of its own kind — not a true bourbon and not a true rye. It’s hard to brand but easy to drink.

In horseman terms, the outrider stands apart, securing the herd’s flank and preventing cattle or pricey thoroughbreds from straying. Similarly, Wyoming Whiskey’s Outryder stands apart, forging its own path and offering a taste profile not seen anywhere else in the American whiskey category. Outryder was first released in 2016, marking Wyoming Whiskey’s first use of rye along with corn and malted barley.

In 2010, co-founder David DeFazio requested Wyoming Whiskey’s distiller at the time, Bourbon Hall of Famer Steve Nally, to develop a rye. Nally expressed reluctance; he didn’t want to make a rye and communicated his distaste for the spirit and its notorious difficulty to work with, as it tends to clog up machinery and complicate the production process. The founders encouraged Nally to reconsider, and he ultimately surrendered to the request. Two different whiskies were laid down in late 2011, nearly 100 barrels of “rye” and 200 barrels of bourbon made with rye. In 2016, after Nally had left Wyoming Whiskey, it was time to bottle. New distiller Sam Mead called DeFazio to explain that the whiskey Nally had produced was only 48% rye, which disqualified it from the rye whiskey category. The team was stunned. DeFazio called Nally and said, “I want you to know that the ‘rye’ you made is spectacular — but why did you use only 48% rye in the mash bill?” Nally responded with an implied smirk, “Because I told you I didn’t want to make a rye.” Thus, Wyoming Whiskey Outryder was born.

Since this first bottling in 2016, the spirit has always contained the original 48% “almost rye” — until this year. The 2024 Outryder Straight American Whiskey features a 51% rye recipe combined with the standard rye bourbon.

According to Wyoming Whiskey Co-Founder, David DeFazio, “Our 2024 edition of Outryder is the first of its kind. It blends a traditional high-rye bourbon with a true rye whiskey. All of the barrels selected for this release were filled in early 2017 and have matured through the heat of seven summer seasons in our warehouses.” He continues, “As is true for all of our batched products, we selected barrels for their excellence and their ‘Outryder’ flavor profile; they were not selected according to a set metric. This batch has a 2.5 ratio of bourbon to rye barrels and offers notes of cinnamon, chocolate hazelnut and candied walnuts, among other rich flavors. We can’t wait for people to taste the 2024 batch.”

2024 Outryder Straight American Whiskey tasting notes:

Nose:              Baked orchard fruit with cinnamon and chocolate hazelnut

Palate:             Maple syrup with candied walnuts and orange bitters

Finish:             Lingering chocolate and espresso bean

At the time of launch, the 2024 Outryder will be available exclusively in Wyoming. It has an ABV of 50% and is 100 proof. SRP US$84.99.

About Wyoming Whiskey

Based in Kirby, Wyoming, Wyoming Whiskey has had a simple goal: to create America’s next great bourbon. That goal has evolved to include all whiskies. The company and its products are a collaboration between its partners and 97,818 square miles of Wyoming. The Mead family first came to Wyoming as ranchers in 1890, and the state defines them and their whiskey. They use the finest corn, winter wheat, winter rye, barley and water from the Bighorn Basin and promote Wyoming’s natural and human resources. Every drop of this bourbon is truly made of Wyoming. To learn more, visit wyomingwhiskey.com.

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Justina Rapala Nielsen | FORTE MARE