Author Archives: Chris Barton

Best Drinks to Order on an Airplane

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Most people don’t enjoy flying on airplanes. And that makes sense, after all, who wants to be cramped into some tiny seat, surrounded by babies crying, people coughing, crappy movies, and bad food? Probably no one.

That is why the solution clearly is to drink. Alcohol, that is.

There are some rules about bringing flasks on a plane, but there is no rule against ordering alcohol. Otherwise no one would fly!

Without further ado, we present to you a list of best drinks to order on a plane.

And by best drinks, we mean the most numbing.

The Leap Frog

The strength and severity of this drink totally depends on how much gin the flight attendant puts into it, which is the core ingredient. The drink consists of 3 basic elements: ginger ale, gin, and a slice of lemon. We also recommend this drink because ginger ale is good for an upset stomach. And after eating some stale airline food, ginger ale might be just the thing your stomach needs.

Bloody Mary

There is no better way to mask the taste of vodka with a thick vegetable juice or tomato juice. Some might say that you can’t have a true Bloody Mary without a stick of celery. But on an airplane, beggars can’t be choosers. All we really need for a tasty Bloody Mary is vodka and a can of V8. On the off chance that they have some Tabasco sauce, you can spice it up that way. Pepper might also be a good addition.

Cape Cod

If you ever wondered what the proper term for a cranberry vodka was, well, it’s a Cape Cod. Adding a slice of lemon or lime will top off this drink nicely. The problem is that this drink will remind you of a fun night out in which you probably bought a few of these for yourself as well as the girl that you were hitting on. Well, at least you’ll be able to savor the taste!

Presbyterian

With airplanes, it’s all about simplicity – which is why the Presbyterian is a great drink. It’s super simple and very tasty. Just mix some whiskey and ginger ale together, and viola, you’ve got yourself some hard alcohol which will go down easy, and be nice to your stomach too!

Beer

It’s not the most original drink, but sometimes sitting back in your tiny airline seat with a cold one is the way to go. Combine a cold beer with some of those tasty and salty peanuts they offer, with hopefully a decent movie on, and you can actually enjoy yourself on a plane ride. Though those peanuts come in really tiny bags – you may want to ask for another to enjoy with your beer.

History of The Hip Flask

History and Origin

Hip flasks began to appear in the form that we recognize today during thecocktail shaker 18th century, and were initially used by members of the gentry. But there have been less compact versions of flasks in use for several centuries. They say that in the Middle Ages, they would cut out the insides of certain fruits, and fill the fruit with liquor.

During the 18th century, women would take pig’s bladders, fill them with gin, and hide them under their petticoats, to smuggle them onto British warships. When prohibition started in America, in the 1920s, the state of Indiana banned the sale of hip flasks and cocktail shakers.

Why Are Hip Flasks Curved?

Hip flasks have traditionally been thin, with a curve and size whose shape alludes to the human kidney. The reason for this curve is simple: so that it can easily be pressed against one’s body so that it is better concealed. A curved flask fits better in a front or back pocket as it will press against one’s leg or thigh. Even a flask that is kept in someone’s boot or sock can be pressed against the leg well.

Why Is It Called a Hip Flask?

The name is pretty understandable – most people would conceal them alongside their hips, either in their pockets, belts, or waistbands. As such, they can vary greatly in shape, and size, although they are usually contoured to match the curve of the wearer’s hip or thigh, for comfort and discretion (as alluded to above).

Some flasks also have a “captive top” which is a small arm that attaches the top to the flask to prevent the top from getting lost when it is removed. Some flasks also have a small compartment on the front of back where you might keep some cigarettes, or rolling papers, like the one below from Flasks.com. 🙂

Hip flasks were traditionally made out of pewter, silver, or even glass, although today, most modern top-quality hip flasks are made from 100% stainless steel. Some modern flasks are also made out of plastic so the user can avoid detection by metal detectors.

Laws & Regulations

Throughout many places in the USA, it is illegal to carry a hip flask, due to the “open container” laws which prohibit possession of an unsealed container of alcohol in a public place.

In terms of flying and hand luggage rules, it is permissible to carry a flask which is empty, because it is illegal for travelers to transport alcohol in an unsealed contained.

U.S. laws don’t explicitly mention anything about flasks. However, UK laws are much more explicit, with two alcohol-related laws that pertain to flasks including the Licensing Act of 2003 and Road Traffic Act 1930.

Hip Flask Defense Act

The Road Traffic act of 1930 was revised in 1988 and is known in some circles as the Hip Flask Defense Act. The primary facet of this law pertains to being under the influence of drugs or alcohol while operating a vehicle.

However, in section 15, this Act states that the level of alcohol found on the driver was the same as when he was operating the vehicle. The obvious and interesting loophole defense here is that a driver could hypothetically drink alcohol AFTER he or she is questioned by authorities, and therefore claim that they were not inebriated at the time of arrest/questioning.

The hip flask defense possibly originated with a driver stepping out of his car (after being stopped by police) and taking a swig of alcohol from his hip flask. It would obviously be hard to prove whether or not this person drank to relieve his nerves or to confuse the police.

Disclaimer: Flasks.com is not a legal authority and this article should not be used for legal advice. For official legal advice on drinking and driving please contact a law firm.

The Future of Flasks

It does not seem likely that governments will bar the sales of flasks in the near future. Though many establishments bar them, and it is illegal in many places to drink publically, flasks are still popular and useful in certain situations.

Of course, if flasks are ever outlawed, folks can resort to old school tactics of hiding their alcohol:


For the last hundred years, flasks have become a very common, traditional gift for a man who is about to marry, to give to his best man and groomsmen, as gifts, on his wedding day. Today, many brides also give flasks to their maids of honor, as well as the bridesmaids, as gifts. The mother and father of the bride, and of the groom, also receive these gifts quite often, as the flasks can now be customized, personalized, engraved in a very impressive manner, making the flask a nice memento of the wedding day.

What Are The Best Mocktail Recipes?

It’s been a tough month for alcohol, with England recently issuing new and strict guidelines concerning alcohol intake. Although their Prime Minister David Cameron is an admitted drinker, England has officially endorsed a limit of 14 units of alcohol per week.

If Britons and other nations do indeed start putting less alcohol in their flasks, it would be helpful to find suitable replacements for their alcoholic beverages. Instead of switching to coffee or tea, how about a mocktail?

What is a Mocktail?

A mocktail is defined as a nonalcoholic drink consisting of a mixture of fruit juices or other soft drinks. More specifically, it consists of mixers and drinks that would normally be used with vodka and other hard alcohols. Imagine drinking a cocktail mixed with grenadine, sprite, and a lime, but sans the vodka.

Best Easy to Make Mocktail Recipes

Shirley Temple

shirley templeThis is probably the most famous mocktail out there, and was invented in Beverly Hills, California in the 1930’s by a bartender at Chasen’s Restaurant. Apparently it was invented because Shirley Temple, famous child actress, visited the restaurant often and could obviously not drink alcohol.

The recipe is simple: 1/2 an ounce of grenadine, and 4 ounces of ginger ale.

  1. Add grenadine to a tumbler with ice cubes
  2. Top it off with ginger ale. You can also use Sprite.
  3. Then garnish it with a Maraschino cherry or an orange wedge.

Virgin Mary

The Bloody Mary is a classic alcoholic beverage that is not for the faint of heart. Inspired by Queen Mary of England executing protestants, the bloody mary was made to resemble her Mary’s bloodthirsty ways. Not to worry for mocktail lovers – the non-alcoholic version is indeed tasty.

The recipe is not complicated, but the ingredients are more complicated than your average mocktail: 3/4 cup of chilled tomato juice, teaspoon of Tobasco sauce, 2 teaspoons of Worcesterchire sauce, teaspoon of lemon juice, pinch of pepper, pinch of salt, celery stick.

  1. Toss all of the ingedients together into a cocktail shaker, shake it, then pour into glass.
  2. Rub lemon juice around the rim of the glass, then lay salt around the rim of the glass.
  3. Place celery stick in glass, and wait for the lemon juice/salt combo to dry.

Virgin Mojito, aka Nojito

mojitoEveryone loves a tasty mojito. The reason is due to its sweetness, which thankfully for the non-alcoholic drinkers, does not preclude its tastiness if alcohol is removed from the equation.

The recipe is easy to make: 1 oz of lime juice, 4 oz seltzer or club soda, 5 mint leaves, and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.

  1. Mix together lime juice, brown sugar and mint leaves in a high glass.
  2. Press a spoon against the few mint leave to extract the mint juice.
  3. Fill the glass with ice, and then stir.
  4. Top it off with Club Soda or seltzer. (If you don’t have any brown sugar, then switch the club soda with Sprite).

 

Hot Alcoholic Beverages to Warm Up Your Holidays

hot drink

It’s December, which means one thing: it’s cold outside! But that doesn’t mean that you can’t put together a few warm ingredients and create your own hot alcoholic beverage. A fireplace might
warm you up, but a hot whiskey will make you feel good as well.

Here are 5 awesome hot alcoholic beverages to bolster your winter cheer:

Peppery Ginger Cider

This is a great drink because it has a sweet but sharp kick to it. Spiked with bourbon and ginger liquor, it has a potent taste of flavor. Start by mixing apple cider with regular bourbon, and pour them into a small saucepan. Then slowly start to pour in and stir the ginger liquer and lemon juice. In terms of liquid, that is all you need. If you want to get more authentic, you can add in a few Luxardo cherries, cracked black pepper, and a slice of ginger. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces apple cider
  • 4 ounces bourbon
  • 3 ounces ginger liqueur
  • Tablespoon lemon juice
  • Luxardo cherries
  • Cracked black pepper

Tequila Mint Hot Chocolate

Who says that Tequila is only meant for raucous drunktequila nights out on the town? It can also be used for a soothing Christmasy hot drink. Take a medium saucepan, and mix ¼ cup of cocoa powder with sugar and a pinch of salt. Then pour in milk, milk chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate. Heat this up over a medium flame, while constantly stirring it.

Once the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is a full liquid, add in tequila and peppermint schnapps. Mix further, then feel free to add either whipped cream, mint, or both! Now this is what a professional hot chocolate should taste like!

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon  sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 4 ounces milk chocolate chips
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 4 ounces tequila
  • 2 ounces peppermint schnapps
  • Whipped cream and/or mint leaf garnish

Scotch Hotty Toddy

No hot winter beverage list would be complete without scotch! Hotty Toddy’s are known for being both an enjoyable drink as well as a potential cute for cold-like remedies. Looking for the best recipe? Than look no further. Flasks.com has just what you need:

Take any scotch (save the good stuff for straight drinking), and mix it with honey syrup (even regular honey works), lemon juice, and water. Add to a pot and cook over a medium flame until it boils. Then add a cinnamon stick, star anise, allspice berries, and an orange peel.

Make sure you sip this slowly so that you enjoy the taste and don’t burn yourself either! And if you’re in a hurry but you just made a huge pot, then let the hotty toddy cool off a bit to warm/room temperature, and add it to a huge flask for on-the-go.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ounces of Scotch
  • 1/2 ounce honey syrup
  • Lemon wedge
  • 1.5 ounces hot water
  • Cinnamon stick, star anise, allspice berries
  • Orange peel

Flasks.com hopes that you enjoy your hot beverages in the warmth of your homes. Happy Holidays!

Flasks.com’s Veteran’s Day Drinks Recommendations

vets day

Veteran’s Day is an important day in America, and was actually established on November 12th, 1919, by President Woodrow Wilson. Originally referring to it as Armistice day, Wilson stated the following:

“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”

In honor of our veterans, the one thing we can always do is offer up a drink. Flasks.com gives you the three best drinks to have in honor of Veteran’s Day:

Perhaps the most fitting drink in name is called the Army Ranger. The recipe is pretty simple, and might appear to younger vets. Jagermeister, Rum, and Red Bull is all you need to swig an Army Ranger.vets day 2

The exact ingredients are .5 oz of Rum, 1 oz of Jagermeister, and 8 oz of Red Bull (or depending how much your heart can handle). Mix all of these together with crushed ice in a glass. For the best appearance, you can garnish it with mint leaves.

The Forget Me Not drink is a source of pride for vets, and is drank to remember all vets – both fallen and living. The recipe for this is for those with a sweet tooth, and can handle hard drinks. This particular drink has 2 variations: One version contains 1 oz of apple Schnapps mixed with .75 oz of cherry liquer. The other version is a bit more bombastic, and contains: 2 shots of absinthe, 2 shots of black Sambuca, and 2 shots of Baileys. Wow! You might need a really large flask to carry all that. That latter version is no small beans, and should you drink it, you will likely forget what happened for the night. Ironic, isn’t it?

beer 2The final drink is interesting because it only came to be known after the Navy Seal who shot Osama Bin Laden was interviewed by Esquire Magazine, and mentioned off hand that he and some mates were drinking Commando Ale. Here is the original article in which he mentions the mysterious brew.

Unfortunately there is no recipe available for it, but it is said to be a very strong homebrew beer, with a young kick but very tasty. The original recipe is said to originate from Scotland, where Commando Ale is served in various pubs. If any readers can find more information about Commando Ale – definitely let us know and message us on our Facebook page!

Babe Ruth: Beer and October Home Runs

babe ruth

It’s October, which means one thing: Baseball playoffs. The culmination of 6 long months of America’s pastime, 162 games over 6 months, players grueling it out in the April rain, the July heat, and the October snow (Colorado). And now, with a few playoff series, a champion will be crowned.
One of the greatest October players of all time is undoubtedly Babe Ruth. In fact, October 9th seems to have been a particularly lucky day for Ruth. Check out his October 9 baseball playoff highlights:

 

  • October 9,1916 – Babe Ruth begins 29 2/3 scoreless World Series innings
  • October 9,1921 – Hits first World Series homer
  • October 9, 1928 – Has 3 homer World Series game

So, what was Ruth’s secret to his postseason success? Could it be beer and alcohol?

Take one of the most famous drinking stories as a great anecdote for Ruth’s prowess: The White Sox were facing the Yankees on a Sunday, so they decided to take him out on a Saturday night in Chicago. They got a local bartender to make a strong alcoholic punch. They gave him plenty and he drank more than anybody else on the team. The White Sox players were sure that Ruth would be incapacitated by game day. Sure enough, The Babe arrived at the game on no sleep, performed spectacularly, and then amazingly asked the White Sox players if they were going out again after the game.

Ruth’s drink of choice does not seem to have been any particular beverage, though his affinity for beer is unquestioned. Take this quote for example: “Sometimes when I reflect on all the beer I drink, I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn’t drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. I think, “It is better to drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver.” Talk about a charitable man who loves his drinks!

Ruth’s penchant for beer and hot dogs was legendary, and nutritionists are amazed that he was able to live for 53 years. It’s no secret that he took the field while inebriated, and certainly hit home runs with alcohol still in his blood.

Ruth is part hero, part cautionary tale. While drinking is fun and his ability to hold his liquor was considered legendary, there are many who would have liked to see Ruth live a longer life, had he drank less and eaten more healthy. But at the very least, we can respect Ruth’s incredible legacy: a love of beer and life, heroic October baseball performances, and a legacy that will live on forever.

 

California’s Favorite Drinks

California is known for many things: beaches, Hollywood, farms, good weather, and a laid back environment. On September 9, 1850, California was admitted to the Union as the 31st state. To celebrate this, we are going to list our top five must have California drinks.

rum and cokeCalifornians Google the term “rum and Coke” more than any other state in America. And for good reason. Rum and Coke is a classic cocktail that can be serve with ice and help cool off anyone – no matter the day in the calendar or year. An easy trick for an automatic ice cold rum and Coke – keep a shot of rum stored in a 2 oz keychain flask, buy an ice cold Coke from any store, and viola, you’ve got yourself a few sips of California’s favorite drink!

The Sidecar is considered to be California’s favorite drink, and is a cocktail that is generally made primarily with Cognac, mixed with some form of orange Liqueur. Generally these orange liqueur’s are Cointreau, or really any triple sec. The third and most important ingredient is lemon juice, which gives it its strong citrus flavor. The sidecar has been around for roughly 100 years, and first appeared in literature in 1907. It is named after actual sidecars – the motorcycle attachment – and became popular around the time of World War 1, most likely in London or Paris. The Ritz Hotel in Paris is on record claiming to have invented or hosted the origin of the drink.

Drinking in California would not be complete until one has a Mai Tai, known for its bursting fruity flavor. The Mai Tai is a cocktail mixed together with white and gold rum, some pineapple juice, and a splash of lime juice (though some use orange juice). Trader Vic (real name Victor Buergon) is known as having invented the drink in an Oakland Restaurant that bore his name, over 50 years ago. Legend has it that when he created this cocktail, patrons of the restaurant who drank it exclaimed “Maitai Roa” which translates to “very good”.martini

Would you believe us if we said that Martinis were invented in California? Though nowadays the Martini is no longer a cocktail on its own but rather a class of drinks with many variations such as Appletinis and Vodka martinis. They say that the first Martini was created in 1862 and originally called a Martinez, because it honored the small town of Martinez, California. The reason for this seemingly random homage is due to a local bartender named Julio Richelieu who ran a saloon and created the drink there. History is thankful to Richelieu for created the drink, and some famous people to enjoy martinis were: Winston Churchill, Truman Capote, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Thank you to California for inventing the Martini, Mai Tai’s, and the Sidecar!

 

 

When China Invented Sunglasses & Baijiu

 

They say that in the year 1200, China invented sunglasses. Documents seem to indicate that the first sunglasses were worn in July, when the sun bore down the hardest. The first sunglasses wearers may have actually been judges: they were given smoke colored quartz lenses to wear over their faces in order to conceal their emotions while questioning witnesses.

quartz chinese judge sunglasses 1200

Now, I know what you’re thinking. A poor judge, sitting under the hot July sun, wearing uncomfortable quartz glasses while trying to decide whether or not someone is guilty of something. Quick, somebody get this man a DRINK!

The question is, what drink would you offer a Chinese judge? Look no further than Baijiu, perhaps one of the most interesting beverages in the world. Baijiu has been around China for over 5000 years, and is unique in the sense that it is considered to be a wine, but is available more generally as a strong distilled spirit. It tastes as strong as vodka, and is produced in upwards of 50% alcohol.

I’m no lawyer, but a cold Baijiu sounds like the perfect drink for a judge on a hot summer day – he gets to cool off and get a pretty decent buzz.

honey baijiu chinese alcoholic drink in tumblrThis Chinese alcoholic beverage has been traditionally referred to as white wine or rice wine, and is made from grains. Baijiu literally means “white liquor”. Baijiu is usually sold in ceramic or glass bottles. It seems that it used to be consumed in small, tumbler-like cups, but lately is drunk from shot glasses. It is also often consumed with food rather than on its own.

The interesting thing about Baijiu is that it is classified according to fragrance, which is a unique classifier for a beverage. And because Baijiu has such distinct fragrances, fans and experts really enjoy grouping them as such:

 

  • Sauce – It tastes similar to Chinese fermented bean pastes and soy sauce. It is said to go well with fine and pickled foods.
  • Thick – Sweet tasting, oily, and mellow, with a long lasting fragrance.
  • Light – Delicate and dry, with a cleansing like taste to one’s mouth.
  • Rice – This is the most traditional type of Baijiu, distilled from rice and has a long lasting aromatic flavor to it.
  • Honey – Very subtle flavor, sweet and tastes like honey.
  • Layered – These are very thick and saucy, therefore have different flavors and aromas.

You’re probably wondering “we’ve got 6 Baijius to choose from, which should we give to the judge sitting in the sun with his quartz shades on?”

The answer is most likely the Rice fragrance. This is because this is the most traditional of them all, and because it is distilled from Rice, probably also offers some nutritional value to whomever is drinking it. And if I were to recommend a flask for the judge, I’d say to go with a flask with rhinestones – this way we can match the shine from his dope quartz sunglasses.

Check out our alcohol resources section for more fun and interesting history lessons.

Were King Louis XI’s Mail Carriers the First Flask Drinkers?

They say that on June 19, 1461, King Louis XI created the first ever postal service, by creating royal postal roads to deliver official parcels and packages at higher speeds. If 1464 was the first year that mail carriers started work, I’d bet 100 Francs that France started selling a lot of flasks around that same time.

Imagine having to be a French mail carrier in 1464? This would have been the first time that mail was ever delivered. That whole “don’t shoot the messenger” quote? I reckon it started here. This is because in the olden times, it used to be that a messenger was more of a representative of the message or package he or she was delivering, whether it was a scroll, food, or someone’s head. horse and carriage mail man france

With the introduction of mail, however, mail carriers started to shift from representatives of the item they were delivering and more toward neutral delivery messengers. Of course, there was probably a rough transition period, as the receivers of packages likely didn’t quite catch on as quickly. As a result, mail carriers probably had to start dealing with a lot of unhappy customers.

I could just imagine this heated conversation taking place:

“You delivered me an Extra Large robe?? I distinctly asked for a Medium! Now how am I going to attend the masquerade and look normal! I want my Francs back and I want them back right now!”.

“Now, now, I’m just the messenger – here to deliver mail and be on my way!, says the mail carrier as he nervously chuckles, runs back into his horse & carriage, and likely takes a swig from his flask.

Can you imagine the pressures that mailmen dealt with on the backroads of France in 1464? It was probably a very stressful job!

That is why I have no doubt that flasks were definitely purchased, used, and abused by many French mailmen in the mid to late 1400’s.

The question is, what sort of flasks did they carry on route? Because drinking and driving rules were probably lax back then, there was probably no issue with the amount of alcohol one consumed.

I reckon that the French mailmen carried pretty big flasks back then. What, you thought that 64 oz flasks were big? Considering that they probably had a lot of spare room in their horse and carriage, mailmen probably had pouch flasks that carried upwards of 100 oz.

The content of the flasks is likely not a matter of debate: Sure the French loved wine, but these mailmen needed liquid courage and relief at a much faster pace than wine. Their flasks were definitely filled with unfiltered whiskey: harsh, strong, but gets the job done. And the one alcohol they stayed away from was probably Absynthe. Because no one wants a hallucinating mailman.

Lewis & Clark Expedition: 120 Gallons of Whiskey

Do you know what happened on May 21, 1804? Probably not. And that’s okay, because most Americans are not familiar with the fact that it was the day that Lewis and Clark set out for their famous world-defying expedition.

Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson, Lewis and Clark set out with a select few army officers and traveled on their high risk journey for 2 years, discovering much of what is now modern America.canteen-29121_1280 (1)

As a fan of U.S. history and knowledgeable in the realm of alcoholic beverages, I could only think of one thing: the obvious need for a flask on the perilous journey that Lewis and Clark embarked on.

Imagine having to traverse an unknown continent, encountering rocky terrain, long rivers, and Indian tribes. A suitable hip flask is the perfect complement for any journey such as this. Because the journey was so long and perilous, I gather that the flasks they used back then were either made of leather, or may have been in the shape of a canteen.

The real question is, what alcoholic beverages did Lewis and Clark take on their journey? Legend holds that they carried 120 gallons of whiskey on their expedition. If I had to hazard a guess, which I will, I would say 3 of the following:

  • Bourbon Whiskey: One of the most popular American whiskeys, barred aged distilled spirit made mostly from corn. Bourbon has been distilled since the 1700s, and became known as Bourbon in the early 1800’s. This whiskey became associated with Kentucky, and carries a reddish shade and is considered to more full bodied than other spirits. Lewis and Clark may have also used Bourbon for cooking and medicinal purposes.
  • Tennessee Whiskey: Made only in Tennessee, and known to bejack-daniels-551052_1280 distinctly anti-Bourbon. It is the only Whiskey that is put through a charcoal process. This whiskey likely served Lewis and Clark well as a sipping whiskey, and perhaps as a suitable gift to break bread with Indians they encountered in the form of a gift.
  • Rye Whiskey was big in the late 1700’s in states such as Pennsylvania and Maryland. American rye whiskey must be distilled from at least 51% rye, and is also sometimes known as Canadian whiskey. Because it comes from rye grain, it offers up a slightly fruity and spicy flavor. As Lewis and Clark traveled across the sun drenched Midwest with dry mouths and hot air in their midst, there is no doubt that they enjoyed and benefited from the kick that Rye whiskey offered. In a long and strenuous journey, rye whiskey is just the beverage one needs to cap off a tough day of hiking and exploring.