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My business partner is originally from the Templeton, IA area. Apparently there are still private citizens making "real" Templeton rye illegally in their barns.

My business partner is originally from the Templeton, IA area. Apparently there are still private citizens making "real" Templeton rye illegally in their barns. He had some over the holidays and reported it to be spicier than the TR brand whisky. TR is a bit disingenuous, but not evil. It's a decent tasting product run by a small company in the middle of nowhere; certainly it was damn near impossible to get rye a few years ago and TR's marketing helped to change that. But like most whiskies, take the marketing with a demijohn of salt. +1 to Willett.

tptacek 12y ago
Willett is good but as it was pointed out to me upthread I had my signals crossed with Weller. :) Regarding Templeton, here's a decent reported source: http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2014/10/templeton-tale-gets-curiouser-and.html http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2014/10/templeton-tale-gets...
- jonstewart 12y ago
  You weren't wrong that KBD makes Willett, though. Elmer T. Lee and Eagle Rare, both very good, also come from Buffalo Trace, although they're apparently not wheated like the Weller. I read several years ago that Templeton bought its rye from a distillery in Indiana and it wasn't much of a secret that it wasn't distilled in Iowa. So, maybe not the MGP name was known, but the name is kind of meaningless.
  - kasey_junk 12y ago
    I think the big problem with Templeton is that most of the NDP brands tell a good story, and discourage people from looking too deeply from where they came, Templeton is getting litigious with it. Further, they are walking a very tight line with regard to what additives they are using. In some places they are adamant that they are following "traditional" processes, and in others they happily invoke the additive to side step allegations of fraud/false advertising. Personally, I have no problem with NDP brands, and think that the mixing of the various ingredients goes a long way to determining the quality of the final product. So even coming from a distillery in Indiana is not a problem (or even having a compelling Col. Sanders character sell your sauce). But Templeton really does take it to another level. Not sure if that level is "evil" or not. But certainly douchbaggy.

tptacek 12y ago

Willett is good but as it was pointed out to me upthread I had my signals crossed with Weller. :) Regarding Templeton, here's a decent reported source: http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2014/10/templeton-tale-gets-curiouser-and.html http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2014/10/templeton-tale-gets...

jonstewart 12y ago
You weren't wrong that KBD makes Willett, though. Elmer T. Lee and Eagle Rare, both very good, also come from Buffalo Trace, although they're apparently not wheated like the Weller. I read several years ago that Templeton bought its rye from a distillery in Indiana and it wasn't much of a secret that it wasn't distilled in Iowa. So, maybe not the MGP name was known, but the name is kind of meaningless.
- kasey_junk 12y ago
  I think the big problem with Templeton is that most of the NDP brands tell a good story, and discourage people from looking too deeply from where they came, Templeton is getting litigious with it. Further, they are walking a very tight line with regard to what additives they are using. In some places they are adamant that they are following "traditional" processes, and in others they happily invoke the additive to side step allegations of fraud/false advertising. Personally, I have no problem with NDP brands, and think that the mixing of the various ingredients goes a long way to determining the quality of the final product. So even coming from a distillery in Indiana is not a problem (or even having a compelling Col. Sanders character sell your sauce). But Templeton really does take it to another level. Not sure if that level is "evil" or not. But certainly douchbaggy.