NEW YORK – Guests gathered on Wednesday, June 17, for an intimate private dinner hosted by WhistlePig Whiskey to celebrate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States and to spotlight the company’s national campaign to designate rye whiskey as America’s official whiskey.
The evening combined American whiskey history with a delectable multi-course meal to offer attendees an immersive experience behind the push for rye whiskey. Alongside each course, guests sampled WhistlePig’s 10 Year Straight Rye Whiskey (alongside a frisée tossed with peach and burrata), 12 Year Old World Rye (alongside a vanilla bourbon mousse and berries), and 15 Year Estate Oak Rye (alongside oak-smoked sirloin), each selected to complement the evening’s culinary offerings. Guests were also invited to sample milk punch, an almost clarified, lighter version of a whiskey cocktail.
Photo Courtesy: WhistlePig
Throughout the event, popular history creator and YouTuber Max Miller, host of Tasting History delivered opening remarks and guided guests through key moments in American history between courses, drawing connections between the nation’s founding era (with notable figures like George Washington) and the importance of rye in creating what would be a lasting drink for generations to come.
Photo Courtesy: WhistlePig
The dinner comes as part of WhistlePig’s broader “Rye, White and Blue” campaign, launched ahead of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. The initiative includes a nationwide petition urging Congress to recognize rye whiskey as the country’s official whiskey. As of the time of writing, the petition has already surpassed one of its major milestones of 5,000 signatures and is now working toward 10,000 signatures ahead of a planned submission to Congress on July 4. Readers can find the petition available here.
“Rye isn’t just part of American whiskey history; it is American whiskey history,” WhistlePig CEO Alex Roberts said in a statement announcing the campaign. As rum used to be the popular drink of colonial America but later dwindled in popularity as it was made with molasses from the Caribbean, a settlement owned by the English, Americans slowly started turning their attention towards an ingredient that had traditionally been used for making bread. Soon after, distilleries popped up, some of which even overseen by presidents like George Washington.
In conjunction with the campaign, WhistlePig has introduced two commemorative releases. The first, Rye, White & Blue PiggyBank, is a limited-edition version of the brand’s 10 Year Straight Rye Whiskey bottled at 110 proof and packaged in a collectible patriotic PiggyBank decanter. The second, Declaration Wheat Whiskey, offers a lighter profile crafted from an all-American wheat-forward mash bill and is topped with a decorative cracked Liberty Bell stopper.
Founded on a 500-acre farm in Vermont, WhistlePig has built its reputation around rye whiskey innovation and has long positioned itself as a champion of the category. The company says its latest campaign is intended not only to celebrate the nation’s upcoming milestone anniversary, but also to encourage Americans to reconnect with a spirit that played a significant role in the country’s early history.
As the countdown to America’s 250th anniversary continues, WhistlePig’s combination of storytelling, historical education, and whiskey craftsmanship aims to spark renewed appreciation for rye whiskey and its place in the American story.
