The New Brands from the Ross & Squibb Distillery

Prohibition History, Masters of Rye & New Brands

Written by Brian Donnelly

January 31, 2024

What is MGP?

MGP, or Midwest Grain Products, is the largest American distillery you have probably never heard of unless you work in the spirits industry or pay close attention to where your bourbon or rye whiskey is distilled. The company is a giant umbrella organization traded on the stock exchange under the NASDAQ sign MGPI, specializing in distilled spirits, dry grains, and food ingredients. I want to focus on the distilling aspect of the company, so I will not go into detail about their Atchison, Kansas facility or the company's food science side. Instead, I will focus on the rebranding of their Indiana distillery, the acquisition of the Luxco brands, and their new proprietary brands.

The MGP distillery in Lawrenceburg, located in southeast Indiana across the Ohio border from Cincinnati, recently changed its name to Ross & Squibb. The renaming pays tribute to the distilling history in Lawrenceburg, which was once known as Whiskey City, USA. Long before they distilled their own products, the company built its industry reputation through contract distilling for more than 670 customers, with particular expertise in distilling rye whiskey. MGP never discloses their customer's professional term agreements because they feel that once those customers purchase that whiskey, it becomes their story to tell. In 2021, MGP Indiana acquired Luxco Brands, a St. Louis-based company with a diverse portfolio of spirits brands, including Ezra Brooks (Lux Row Distillers), Yellowstone (Limestone Branch Distillery), Exotico (Destiladora González Lux), Saint Brendan's Irish Cream (Niche Drinks).

Ross & Squibb

The present-day Ross & Squibb Distillery was initially founded as the Rossville Distillery in 1847 by George Ross. It could be considered one of the last great distilleries of the American Prohibition era. Ross chose the location for the underground aquifer that produces limestone-filtered water, which is very important in whiskey production because limestone removes iron from the water. The new Ross & Squibb name honors the two distilleries that once sat on the current distillery campus, Rossville Distillery and W.P. Squib & Co. Distillery. The 177-year history of the property reads like a work of fiction.

During American Prohibition, 1920 to 1933, George Remus, a former pharmacist and lawyer turned legendary bootlegger, based himself in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he had access to every closed distillery within a 200-mile radius. He lived just 30 miles from the Rossville Distillery, where he maintained warehousing on the grounds of the current-day property. While the Rossville Distillery was officially closed during Prohibition, Remus purchased and operated the W.P. Squibb & Co. Distillery. It was eventually shut down in the 1980s and is now mostly barrel warehouses, also called rack houses. George Remus is a fascinating character whose real life is stranger than fiction. He is often credited with inspiring Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby because Remus threw large and wild parties with his criminal wealth. Allegedly, Fitzgerald met Remus while drinking at the basement bar of The Seelbach Hotel in Lousiville, Kentucky. If you want to know more about Remus, I highly recommend Bob Batchelor's 2019 book, The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition's Evil Genius.

Seagram bought the Rossville Distillery in 1933, which had shut down production during Prohibition, and rebuilt the facilities in the 1930s and 1940s. The distillery traded owners several times before MPG bought it in 2011. Now operating under the Ross & Squibb name, the historic distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, with the legendary reputation for contracting distilling, later wanted to make its own products. The distillery distills, produces, and ages several of its own brands, including Remus Bourbon, Remus Repeal Reserve Bourbon, Remus Gatsby Reserve Bourbon, Rossville Union Rye, Eight & Sand Blended Bourbon, and Tanner's Creek Blended Bourbon.

I want to highlight Ian Stirsman, the current Master Distiller at Ross & Squibb Distillery, because, in this role, he is responsible for guiding the product-development process for innovation and annual limited releases. He leads all operations for the Ross & Squibb family of brands, including Remus Bourbon and Rossville Union Rye Whiskey and any future brands released under the Ross & Squibb name. He also hosts customers for barrel picks and distillery tours, and he works to build brand awareness for the distillery and its brands. Additionally, he serves as a spokesperson for the brands with media and key stakeholders. Finally, he noses every distillate distilled the previous day. When you think about the volume produced at the distillery, that's a lot of smelling. MGP hired Stirsman in 2014. Before earning the Master Distiller distinction in October 2019, he worked as a production shift manager, process engineer, and fermentation & distillation manager. Before joining MGP, he served as a process engineer and shift manager for PH Glatfelter Co., a global manufacturer of engineered materials. Ian graduated 2010 from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Biological Sciences.

George Remus, Straight Bourbon Whiskey

George Remus is the flagship product distilled at the historic 177-year-old Ross & Squibb Distillery, formerly MGP, in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. This product is a high-rye blend of bourbon distilled from two mash bills, 75 % corn, 21 % rye, 4 % malted barley, and 60 % corn, 36 % rye, 4 % malted barley, aged in new charred American white oak for over five years, non-chill filtered, and bottled at 94 Proof (47 % ABV). The brand is named for George Remus, a Chicago lawyer who moved to Cincinnati and created one of the most successful bootlegging operations of the American Prohibition era (1920-1933). Nicknamed the "King of the Bootleggers," Remus is often credited as the inspiration for the character of Jay Gatsby from F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby because he was known for his legendary parties. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is around $40.

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Remus Highest Rye, Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The Remus Highest Rye features a new mash bill from the Ross & Squibb Distillery, compared to their other two bourbon mash bills used for the regular George Remus bourbon, which date back to the Seagram Distillery since the 1940s. The mash bill of 51 % corn, 39 % rye, and 10 % malted barley pushes the legal limit of rye content for bourbon and showcases the distillery's expertise in the rye grain. Unlike the flagship Remus, this line extension has a six-year age statement and is bottled at 109 proof (54.5 % ABV). The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is around $50.

Before Ross & Squibb, or MGP, the present-day campus was two distilleries, the Rossville Distillery, founded in 1847, and the W.P. Squibb & Co., founded in 1869. These Lawrenceberg distilleries built a reputation and history for distilling rye whiskey and high-rye bourbon. George Remus bought the W.P. Squibb distillery in 1921 at the beginning of Prohibition. Part of the Remus brand's charm is its connection to the American Prohibition era, where rye whiskey was the most popular style in the United States.

Remus Repeal Reserve, Bourbon Series VII (2024), Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Remus Repeal Reserve is an annual, limited-edition special release from the Ross & Squibb distillery. Series I was first released on November 13, 2017 (George Remus' Birthday), followed by Series II in 2018, Series III in 2019 and Series IV in 2020.

The Repeal Reserve offers customers a trade-up option from the regular Remus brand and is usually available by September of each year for National Bourbon Month. The Series VII (2024) mingles two bourbon mash bills; 75 % corn, 21 % rye, 4 % malted barley, and 60 % corn, 36 % rye, 4 % malted barley. The bourbon was distilled in 2007, 2013, and 2014 vintages, meaning this product includes 9-year-old, 10-year-old, and 16-year-old bourbon bottled at 100 proof (50 % ABV). The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is around $100.

Remus Repeal Reserve, Bourbon Series VI (2023), Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The Series VI (2023) mingles five rare bourbons aged from 9 years to 15 years, distilled from 2008 to 2014, and bottled at 100 proof (50 % ABV). This product won a silver medal (S) at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC). The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is around $100. The composition looks like this:

2 % of the blend is a 15-year-old bourbon, distilled in 2008, with a mash bill of 75 % corn, 21 % rye, 4 % malted barley
27 % of the blend is 11-year-old, distilled in 2012, with a mash bill of 75 % corn, 21 % rye, 4 % malted barley
29 % of the blend is 9-year-old, distilled in 2014, with a mash bill of 75 % corn, 21 % rye, 4 % malted barley
17 % of the blend is 11-year-old, distilled in 2012, with a mash bill of 60 % corn, 36 % rye, 4 % malted barley
25 % of the blend is 9-year-old, distilled in 2014, with a mash bill of 60 % corn, 36 % rye, 4 % malted barley

Remus Repeal Reserve, Bourbon Series V (2022), Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Repeal Reserve is an annual, limited-edition special release from the Ross & Squibb distillery. The Repeal Reserve offers customers a trade-up option from the regular Remus brand and is usually available by September of each year for National Bourbon Month. The Series V (2022) mingles five bourbons aged from 2005 to 2008 and bottled at 100 proof (50 % ABV). The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is around $100. The composition looks like this:

9 % of the blend is a 16-year-old bourbon, distilled in 2005, with a mash bill of 75 % corn, 21 % rye, 4 % malted barley
5 % of the blend is a 15-year-old bourbon, distilled in 2006, with a mash bill of 60 % corn, 36 % rye, 4 % malted barley
19 % of the blend is a 15-year-old bourbon, distilled in 2006, with a mash bill of 75 % corn, 21 % rye, 4 % malted barley
13 % of the blend is a 13-year-old bourbon, distilled in 2008, with a mash bill of 75 % corn, 21 % rye, 4 % malted barley
54 % of the blend is a 13-year-old bourbon, distilled in 2008, with a mash bill of 60 % corn, 36 % rye, 4 % malted barley

Remus Gatsby Reserve Bourbon, 15-Year-Old, Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The Remus Gatsby Reserve bourbon is an annual, ultra-limited-edition release and the highest tier of the Remus brand. Released to celebrate F. Scott Fitzgerald's legendary 1925 novel, The Great Gatsby, this product is a 15-year-old bourbon distilled from two bourbon mash bills, 75 % corn, 21 % rye, 4 % malted barley, and 60 % corn, 36 % rye, 4 % malted barley, and bottled in an art deco-inspired bottle at barrel proof. George Remus is often credited as the inspiration for the character of Jay Gatsby because he was known for his legendary parties. Allegedly, Fitzgerald met Remus while drinking at the basement bar of The Seelbach Hotel in Lousiville, Kentucky. The Remus Gatsby Reserve won a gold medal (G) at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC). The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is around $200.

Masters of Rye

Considered the "Masters of Rye," Ross & Squibb produces 75 % of the rye whiskey on the commercial market. The distillery has a long tradition of distilling rye dating back to 1847 when George Ross founded the original Rossville distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. When Seagram operated the distillery, rye whiskey was part of the Seagram blend. It is more challenging to make whiskey from rye compared to whiskey from corn. Rye is more expensive, contains less starch, and generates less bushel per acre than corn. It's hard to pump during distillation because it's sticky and viscous. It is challenging to separate the solids and liquids when you want to process the leftover material into animal feed.

Present-day Ross & Squibb was the only distillery producing rye whiskey at scale when rye whiskey made its comeback. Most Kentucky distilleries only produce rye once or twice a week. Rye whiskey's popularity never recovered from American Prohibition, mainly because most licenses to sell whiskey medically during Prohibition went to Kentucky bourbon distilleries. When Prohibition ended in 1933, the production of rye dwindled. One reason for this was President Franklin D. Roosevelt's subsidy on corn in response to the ongoing Great Depression, making corn a more affordable crop for farmers to produce and, in turn, a less expensive and easier grain for distillers to buy.

Ross & Squibb is the largest importer of rye in the United States. The distillery sources rye from Germany and Sweden for their contract brands and sources rye domestically for their own brands. Seagram did extensive research to determine the best rye sources and found it was from Sweden and Germany. In the United States, there are few acres of rye compared to corn or other grains, mainly used as a cover crop.

Rossville Union, Straight Rye Whiskey

Rossville Union is the first proprietary rye whiskey brand from Ross & Squibb, formerly called MGP, the nation's leading rye whiskey distillery. This product is aged five years, composed of two mash bills, 95 % rye, 5 % malted barley, and 45 % corn, 51 % rye, 4 % malted barley, and bottled at 94 proof (47 % ABV). Rossville Union is a bourbon drinker's rye because most of the barrels used are from the 45 % corn, 51 % rye, and 4 % malted barley mash bill. The batch size, or the amount of barrels combined for bottling, is displayed on every bottle's front label. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is around $50

Photo by Rossville Union (www.rossvilleunion.com)

Rossville Union, Bottled-in-Bond, Straight Rye Whiskey

The Rossville Union Bottled-in-Bond is a six-year-old age-statement rye whiskey that uses a mash bill of 51 % rye and 49 % malted barley, a new mash bill never released before from the distillery. The mash bills need a high proportion of malted barley to break down the rye with endogenous enzymes. Each barrel is hand-selected by Master Distiller Ian Stirsman, and the batch is bottled at 100 proof (50 % ABV). The distiller is releasing only 3,000 6-pack cases of this product. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is around $50.

Here's a quick refresher about what it means to be labeled bottled-in-bond. Under the United States Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, this means each product must be aged in a federally bonded warehouse for a minimum of four years, produced in one distillation season (January to June or July to December) from one distillery, and bottled at 100 proof (50 % ABV).

Rossville Union, Barrel Proof, Straight Rye Whiskey

Rossville Union Barrel Proof is a limited-release 7-year-old rye whiskey produced from two mash bills: 95 % rye, 5 % malted barley, and 45 % corn, 51 % rye, 4 % malted barley. Unlike the regular Rossville Union rye, most barrels used for this bottling come from the 95 % rye and 5 % malted barley mash bill. This product is bottled at barrel proof, uncut with water, and the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is around $70.

The Ross & Squibb Distillery is built into the levy at Tanners Creek off the Ohio River on the Indiana and Kentucky border. Master Distiller Ian Stirsman told me on a virtual call that this location creates a unique microclimate with high humidity that slows evaporation. For example, the barrel-entry proof is 120 (60 % ABV), and the proof goes down during aging, which is usually only seen in humid climates like Scotland. Typically, proof of the aging whiskey increases in hot and dry distilleries in Kentucky or Tennessee because the water evaporates out of the barrel faster than alcohol.

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