It’s that time of year again — Barrel 21 is rolling out their annual Rock & Rye Whiskey, and if you’ve had it before, you already know this one doesn’t sit on the shelf for long.

This 80-proof whiskey starts as Woodcock Rye, then gets infused with oranges, lemons, pineapple, horehound drops, honey, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. The combination turns out a whiskey that walks the line between bright citrus and warming spice, the kind of pour that feels made for football weekends, campfires, and the first cold nights of the season.

The release happens Thursday, October 16 at both Barrel 21 tasting rooms, State College and Penns Valley (PA). Bottles are small-batch and go quickly every year.

If you’re not familiar with Barrel 21, the distillery’s name is a nod to the 21st Amendment, which ended Prohibition. The team there has built a reputation around crafting spirits that pay homage to Central Pennsylvania’s deep whiskey roots; a region once buzzing with moonshiners and bootleggers who kept the craft alive when the rest of the country went dry.whiskey

Barrel 21’s connection to that history runs deep, pulling inspiration from figures like Prince Farrington, a notorious bootlegger who made his mark in these hills. Today, the distillery channels that same resourcefulness and community spirit, blending local ingredients with a reverence for Pennsylvania’s role in American whiskey.

So if your bar shelf has been waiting for something that tastes like fall, and tells a bit of local history while it’s at it, Rock & Rye might be the bottle to grab before it disappears for another year.