Woodford Reserve Announces 5-Year Commitment to Buy Rye from Kentucky Farmers as Part of Research Project

Goal is to bring rye production back to local farms

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - In an ongoing effort to bring production of rye grain back to Kentucky, Woodford Reserve today announced a five-year commitment to purchasing the grain from local farmers while working with the University of Kentucky to conduct research.

Beginning this summer, Woodford Reserve will run small distillation trials on ten varieties of rye to determine their flavor nuances that impact bourbon.

“If we can bring rye back to Kentucky, it would not only support farmers, but give a sustainable grain to whiskey producers across the state,” Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall said “Sustainability is a topic I care passionately about – and, working with partners, we can make a big impact.”

Woodford Reserve will purchase the rye grown by four farmers in the trial for the next five years. The grain will be used in production and distillery trials to run sensory tests on the final distillate.

Rye is difficult to grow in Kentucky because of its generally warm, humid climate. Rye is mainly sourced by distillers from the cooler climates of Canada or Europe. To overcome these challenges, more than $1 million will be invested collectively by partners in the development of an open-sourced Kentucky variety over the course of the program.

This project aims to uncover an open-sourced rye variety that will grow well locally in Kentucky.

“We need to find a rye variety that is well suited to our region of the country,” says Sam Halcomb, President of the KY Small Grain Grower’s Association and Managing Partner of Walnut Grove Farms, the visionary family farm behind the initiative. “Woodford Reserve has been very receptive to those ideas, and they’ve been very patient to work with us as a family farm and allow us to experiment with some things and support us in those experimentations.”

Rye is an essential part of a suitable environment as it improves the health of soil by reducing negative impacts of rainfall variability and sequesters carbon. Growing rye locally provides a third cash crop for farmers in a two-year corn and soybean rotation. Partnering with local farmers allows for a reduced carbon footprint at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and diversification in supply while strengthening relationships and the economy.

“Woodford Reserve is committed to the environment and to caring for the natural resources that go into making the world’s finest bourbon,” Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall said.  “Six ambitious sustainability commitments were announced in 2021, including a commitment to creating a resilient and agile agricultural supply chain.”