In 1919 as the United States was attempting to recover from World War I, many farmers needed additional income to support their large families and make their farm payments. In response to this need for revenue, a group of crafty farmers in a small town by the name of Templeton, Iowa began to brew and distil their own form of rye whiskey, which they aptly named Templeton Rye.
Templeton Rye gained popularity amongst sophisticated circles, and developed the tag line “The Good Stuff” because of its high quality and smooth finish.
As word of Templeton Rye quickly spread, this Single Barrel Malt eventually caught the attention of the Capone gang, who began bootlegging hundreds of kegs of Templeton Rye per month and distributing it to speakeasies throughout New York, Chicago and as far west as Denver. Legend has it that Capone even orchestrated a mission to have a case of Templeton Rye smuggled to him while incarcerated in Alcatraz.
Prohibition ended in 1933 but the production of Templeton Rye continued in small quantities through the present time.
