J. Rieger & Co.
About the Distillery
J. Rieger & Co. is located in the Electric Park district in Kansas City and links a pre-Prohibition past from 1887 with a modern distillery and guest experience reopened in 2014. The distillery is known for reintroducing sherry into American whiskey, operating a state-of-the-art production facility, and offering guided tours, tastings, and multiple bar areas in a historic setting.
History
The history begins in 1887, when Jacob Rieger established Jacob Rieger & Company in Kansas City’s vibrant West Bottoms. The company grew under his son Alexander to become a leading mail-order spirits house before Prohibition closed activities in 1919. The idea of reviving the brand gained momentum in 2009, and in 2014 the heir Andy Rieger together with bartender Ryan Maybee opened a modern J. Rieger & Co. with support from industry masters. Since the reopening the distillery has expanded production equipment, launched new classifications such as Kansas City Whiskey, introduced the highly limited Monogram Solera Reserve and established an expanded guest experience in a historic building in Electric Park. During Covid-19 production temporarily shifted to hand sanitizer to support the local community, and in 2021–2022 important whiskey releases followed, followed by a collection expansion in 2025.
Raw Materials and Production
The core of production consists of distillation on a 750-gallon copper Vendome still installed for daily operation, and the distillery’s range covers rye, bourbon and whiskey classifications as well as neutral and botanical spirits for vodka and gin. Rieger builds on pre-Prohibition practices and trains its team internally; Nathan Perry has led production since 2015 and was later awarded the Master Distiller title. The mash bills’ exact compositions are not specified in publicly available texts, but product names document the use of grains such as rye and wheat in selected products. The Rickhouse is used for aging the barrels, and the production floor is open to visitors during guided tours.
Maturation and Barrel Types
Maturation involves both traditional casks and more experimental approaches. Monogram Solera Reserve is composed in a solera process with 50–100-year-old sherry botas from Williams & Humbert, while the newer releases in the collection are indicated as aged at least 4–5 years. Rickhouse aging is used, and the distillery works with solera- and sherry-influenced methods as part of its signature releases.
Whiskeys
The range includes core types such as Kansas City Whiskey as well as newer Straight Rye and Straight Bourbon, which in 2025 are listed as part of the Kansas City Whiskey Collection with a minimum of 4–5 years of aging. In addition, Rieger releases limited, annual releases such as Monogram Solera Reserve. The distillery has also developed related spirit products earlier in the process (e.g., Premium Wheat Vodka, Midwestern Dry Gin and Caffè Amaro), but the focus in the whiskey range is on revival pre-Prohibition styles, solera experiments and Bottled-in-Bond releases from 2021–2022.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Age | Cask & Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Whiskey | Whiskey; Kansas City Whiskey Collection | Min. 4–5 years | Named and defined by Rieger’s revival of the practice of adding sherry to whiskey; part of the Kansas City Whiskey Collection with at least 4–5 years of aging. | Current; Core Range | |
| Monogram Solera Reserve | Whiskey (solera blend) | 50–100-year-old sherry botas; finish: Solera blend in sherry botas | A rare, complex and original solera reserve consisting of blended whiskeys aged in 50–100 year-old sherry botas; annual, limited release. | Limited; Limited, annual release | |
| Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey | Rye whiskey | Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey released in 2021; marks a modern release of rye distilled in Kansas City. | Current | ||
| Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon | Bourbon | Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon released in 2022 as part of the distillery’s line of American whiskies. | Current | ||
| Straight Rye | Rye whiskey; Kansas City Whiskey Collection | Min. 4–5 years | Straight Rye was announced in February 2025 as the latest addition to the Kansas City Whiskey Collection and is stated as aged at least 4–5 years. | Current; Core Range | |
| Straight Bourbon | Bourbon; Kansas City Whiskey Collection | Min. 4–5 years | Straight Bourbon is part of the Kansas City Whiskey Collection and is indicated as aged a minimum of 4–5 years in the collection’s 2025 expansion. | Current; Core Range |
Visit the Distillery
J. Rieger & Co. welcomes the public to guided, immersive tours that take you behind the scenes on the production floor and into the rickhouse with concluding tastings. Tours are interactive and recommended to be booked in advance; private tours can be arranged via a listed email. Visitors should arrive 15 minutes before start, present photo ID, and wear closed-toe shoes for safety. The tour involves walking and standing for about 30 minutes, the facilities are ADA-accessible, and the rickhouse is not climate-controlled. Complimentary parking is available on the building’s west side.
The stated opening hours are Monday - Tuesday 2PM–8PM | Wednesday - Thursday 2PM–10PM | Friday - Saturday 12PM–12AM | Sunday 12PM–8PM.
Philosophy and Craft
Rieger revives familial and historical practices from before Prohibition while the distillery experiments technically, especially by integrating sherry and solera techniques into whiskey production. The family name’s heritage is central, and the company emphasizes training of the production staff and local roots, shown for example by their rapid pivot to help the local community during the pandemic.