Metallica, like many other bands, expanded their portfolio by entering the spirit game with their brand Blackened American Whiskey. Since launching in 2018, Blackened American Whiskey has won a number of awards and has introduced a variety of offerings with their latest being a Kentucky straight rye double cask finished whiskey aptly named Rye The Lightning.
At the helm of Rye The Lightning is Master Distiller & Blender Rob Dietrich, a man who loves the craft of making whiskey as much as he loves music. Dietrich boasts a vinyl collection of about 2,500 records. In addition to working for Bill Graham Presents in San Francisco for about a decade, Dietrich once worked as a stagehand and as a rigger at a Denver Metallica show in 1996. Dietrich would become the Master Distiller for Blackened in 2019 following the untimely passing of the brand’s original Master Distiller and co-founder Dave Pickerell.
“It was kind of this full circle experience of coming back to my rock and roll roots and combining my passion for making whiskey and music and being able to take up the honorable position of the Master Distiller for Blackened Whiskey,” said Dietrich.
Even if you didn’t know Dietrich’s impressive background, his killer mutton chops are a dead giveaway of the type of badass guy he is.
So, when it comes to Rye The Lightning, what should would-be-drinkers keep in mind ahead of their first taste? Here are five things to know before trying Metallica’s latest spirit.