Far North Spirits Roknar Minnesota Rye Whiskey

The exhilarating goal at Far North Spirits is to make Minnesota a leader in the production of rye grain and world-class rye whiskey. A true field-to-glass whiskey from the Nordic reaches of that state, Roknar \ROCK-ner\ is the soft-spoken freshman athlete already too good for the varsity. 

Born of non-GMO AC Hazlet Winter Rye and Minnesota 13 Heirloom Corn planted and harvested by head distiller Michael Swanson, Roknar is milled, fermented and distilled in very small batches.

TastingNotesAged one year in 10-gallon charred oak barrels and finished in a combination of Oloroso sherry and Cognac casks, Roknar marries aromas of brown sugar and cinnamon with vanilla bean, roasted almonds and freshly sawn oak. These scents are precisely restated as flavors on a butter-smooth palate, with additional notes of smoked ham and balsa wood. Finishing with a hint of soft-baked pretzels, Roknar lingers cheerfully with a warming note of star anise.

The Scandinavian name Roknar means Warrior from the gods in ancient Norse. While the legendary Viking Ragnar Lodbrok may or may not have actually existed, his reputation throughout Europe as a hero and true bad-ass seems to endure nonetheless.