Matt Breese
How a finishing-obsessed “mad scientist” ethos, a musician’s eye for album art, and a flavor-first stance are reshaping what 95/5 rye can be.
Sitting Down with David Jennings
We sat down with David Jennings, founder of Raconteur Rye, and were grateful for the opportunity to hear the brand’s story directly from its source. David is no stranger to whiskey storytelling. In 2016, he launched the blog Rare Bird 101, dedicated to Wild Turkey bourbon and rye. That passion later grew into the book American Spirit: Wild Turkey Bourbon from Ripy to Russell.
Today, writing is his full-time pursuit. While Wild Turkey remains a cornerstone of his perspective, David’s curiosity spans quality spirits worldwide. He has multiple books and media projects underway and always welcomes a good whiskey conversation, preferably over a shared dram.
Head-Turner: From “Honda Accord” to Custom-Tuned Street Racer
Raconteur Rye begins with the industry’s most ubiquitous rye mash bill, MGP’s 95/5, and pushes it somewhere unexpected.
The brand takes a recipe that has served as the backbone for many iconic rye labels and elevates it through a deliberate, methodical finishing program. A rotating cast of finishing casks, including Mizunara and large-format barrels in the 500–600 liter range, are used not to mask the base spirit, but to refine it.
The team’s proudest flex is balance. In their words, they refuse to “make a bastard of the liquid.”
“We’ve left it its own, but improved it… polished it and elevated it.”
Sell-through validated the approach early. Initial batches disappeared quickly, prompting a scale-up that still preserved small-batch intent.
Origin Story: A Chance Meeting and a White-Label Epiphany
In 2023, David met distiller James Symons and stepped into a workspace that felt less like a traditional rickhouse and more like a creative lab. Cognac casks, Mizunara, oversized barrels, jars, and canisters filled the room.
A seven-year 95/5 rye finished in ex-bourbon Mizunara flipped the expected herbal mint and dill notes into ripe strawberry. That moment shifted David away from a straightforward single barrel concept and toward custom blending.
“Blend it for you. If you blend for the crowd, you’ll overlook the red flags.”
What began as a one-off club pick evolved into a full brand collaboration with a defined identity, aesthetic, and point of view.
Look the Part: The Raconteur Aesthetic
Raconteur means storyteller, and the label leans heavily into late-1800s Americana. Drapery, shields, eagles, and bold poster-art elements dominate the design, with one non-negotiable rule: RYE appears in unapologetically large type.
Graphic designer Ricky Frame translated David’s rough sketches and mood boards into an instantly recognizable visual identity.
Design North Star: If the whiskey is the song, the label is the album cover. It should make people feel something before they ever take a sip.
Even small details evolve with the liquid. A corner stamp calling out “Made in Kentucky,” for example, appears when the source state shifts, reinforcing transparency rather than obscuring it.
Why 95/5? Because It Sings Under Finish
David’s rye education was shaped by classic 95/5 expressions from brands like Bulleit Rye, High West, and Smooth Ambler Old Scout. The mash bill fits Raconteur’s ethos: unmistakably rye, structurally resilient, and able to stand up to finishing without losing definition.
Finishing timelines are not fixed. Barrels are tasted frequently, sometimes concluding in three months, sometimes stretching to six. No additives. No shortcuts. Finished straight whiskey, labeled properly.
Audience, by Design
Each batch is built with intention.
Batch 1 was a love letter to rye enthusiasts. Zippy, mint-forward, earthy, and unapologetically intense.
Batch 2 (“Brazen”) nudged finishing and blend ratios toward high-rye bourbon territory, widening the audience without abandoning the brand’s foundation.
Batch 3 (“Miz Kiss”) established Mizunara as a recurring thread and opened the door to deeper experimentation.
The throughline is focus. For a small, nimble brand, a tight scope sharpens identity and keeps the work fun.
Innovation and Tradition in Balance
Raconteur’s playground is finishing variety, spanning Mizunara, Pineau, and beyond. The guardrails remain traditional. Honest straight whiskey. Clean labeling. Blends evaluated at night and again in the morning, when palates change and truth tends to surface.
Feedback comes from a rotating, intentionally blunt micro-panel designed to avoid echo chambers.
What distinguishes Raconteur is how experimentation consistently feels intentional rather than performative. Finishing adds character without overwhelming the rye itself.
Anti-Specs: Flavor Over Hype
In a market chasing extreme age statements and hazmat proofs, Raconteur operates deliberately at middle altitude.
Blends are built at barrel strength but released around a more approachable 120 proof. The objective is not a fleeting spike of attention, but a steady base of drinkers who return.
“Twenty years and 140 proof mean nothing if it isn’t delicious.”
Market Winds and Small-Batch Opportunity
Recent inventory softness across the category has created opportunities that would have been unavailable or unaffordable just a few years ago. Lower minimums and broader access allow Raconteur to work in true small batches of six to eight barrels.
David likens it to music. Single barrels from the same run can play the same notes yet sound like different instruments. Keep batches small and the tones remain distinct.
Sourcing Premium Liquid
One of the brand’s inflection points came through its sourcing relationship with Brindiamo. Years earlier, David had encountered Kentucky-distilled 95/5 rye from Bardstown and remembered it as some of the best rye he had tasted.
When a similar eight-year Kentucky lot surfaced through Brindiamo, the decision was immediate. David recalls tasting the sample himself, then waiting anxiously for James to weigh in.
When James called back with a simple “This stuff’s amazing,” it became what David describes as the brand’s “big aha moment.”
That Kentucky rye reshaped the flavor profile and allowed Raconteur to communicate provenance more clearly. The label was updated to include a “Made in Kentucky” stamp, reinforcing the brand’s emphasis on transparency.
The relationship with a leading broker like Brindiamo enabled continued evolution across Indiana and Kentucky 95/5, including releases like Gemini I and II, while maintaining mash bill continuity.
Coming Attractions: Gemini
The next chapter arrives as a dual release.
Gemini I (Indiana) threads the needle between early batches, nodding to Raconteur’s origin with a refined edge.
Gemini II (Extended Mizunara) builds on the “Miz Kiss” DNA with extended finishing, deepening sandalwood and spice.
According to RaconteurRye.com, both releases are slated for near-term availability through select online retailers.
Operational Reality Behind the Scenes
Not every challenge lives in the glass. A defective label stock once required extensive manual fixes, and cork shortages forced a pragmatic switch to domestic synthetics.
The lesson was straightforward. Always qualify backups.
The Human Plot Twist
David spent decades in insurance and banking before family realities during the COVID era pushed him fully into whiskey. Writing, reviewing, selecting barrels, and ultimately building Raconteur with his co-founder followed.
Today, the most common message he receives is simple: “When’s the next drop?”
Field Notes for Aspiring Founders
Make it for yourself first, then listen carefully. If the same critique appears repeatedly, whether around age, price, or proof, don’t ignore it.
Embed within the whiskey community. Insiders understand how paths actually connect.
Start with a spark, not a blowtorch. Broad, high-volume success exists, but it is rare. Deliberate growth travels farther.
Conclusion
Raconteur Rye is a reminder of what focused brand building can look like when liquid, identity, and restraint move in lockstep.
David Jennings’ path from Rare Bird 101 to building a rye-first brand alongside James Symons illustrates how curiosity, honesty, and community roots translate into something durable.
By blending for themselves first, experimenting boldly but with balance, and resisting unnecessary sprawl, Raconteur has built a label that speaks clearly and unapologetically as rye.
Follow @RaconteurRye for the latest updates on their brand!