Kosher wine is commonplace, and has been for some time. Kosher spirits, not so much. Many spirits are, in fact, technically kosher, but in most cases, they got there accidentally. The Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky has taken a more proactive approach, working over the past 10 years with the Chicago Rabbinical Council on a line of purpose-built kosher American whiskeys. A bourbon (“Rye Recipe”), rye (“Straight Rye”) and wheated bourbon (“Wheat Recipe,” a whiskey made using a high percentage of wheat) were released on April 16, following the end of Passover. Every production step was overseen by the council, from barreling to bottling. So there is no mistaking their provenance, each bottle has the word “kosher” on the label in large letters. The limited-release line will be an annual event, arriving each year after Passover.
Buffalo Trace kosher whiskeys, $39.99, 750-milliliter bottle, buffalotracedistillery.com.
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