Remus Repeal Reserve Series X and the First-Ever Remus Rye: A Decade of Indiana's Finest Arrives with Its Boldest Chapter Yet
Ten years is a long time in bourbon. Distilleries launch annual expressions with big promises, and most fade before they hit a third release. The Remus Repeal Reserve series from Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, is a different kind of story — one built on compounding age, deepening craft, and a historical mythology so rich it practically writes itself. Now, with the arrival of Series X alongside the brand's first-ever rye whiskey, Remus is marking a full decade of its limited-edition flagship release in a way that demands the attention of anyone who takes American whiskey seriously.
The Legend Behind the Label: George Remus and the History of the Ross & Squibb Distillery
Before a single drop of Series X can be appreciated, it helps to understand who George Remus was and why a distillery bearing his influence occupies such a peculiar and prestigious place in American whiskey history. In the 1920s, if baseball had Ruth, bourbon had Remus — a pharmacist and successful attorney who used his expertise to find loopholes in the Volstead Act, dispensing his product to the masses for "medicinal purposes." His operation was vast, his lifestyle extravagant, and his legend enduring. He is often credited with inspiring Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, because Remus threw large and wild parties with his criminal wealth — and Fitzgerald allegedly met Remus while drinking at the basement bar of The Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.
The physical ground on which Series X was made is equally storied. The "Ross" in Ross & Squibb is inspired by the legacy of George Ross, who in 1847 founded the Rossville Distillery, located on what is now the Ross & Squibb Distillery campus. The "Squibb" calls back to the historic Squibb Distillery, founded in 1869 in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and later purchased in 1921 by George Remus himself. After Prohibition ended, Seagrams purchased the Rossville Distillery in 1933, and the site later became the property of Pernod Ricard, which sold it in 2007 to CL Financial — who renamed it Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana — before MGP Ingredients purchased the distillery in 2011. MGP Ingredients completed its acquisition of Luxco in April 2021, and that September the branded spirits side of the Lawrenceburg operation was officially renamed Ross & Squibb Distillery.
Nestled between the Ohio River and Tanner's Creek, the distillery benefits from sitting atop the Great Miami Aquifer — cold and pure water that is naturally limestone filtered, lowering the sulfur and iron content that negatively affect a whiskey's taste. That water, combined with Indiana's harsh temperature swings and the distillery's long institutional memory for high-rye production, is what makes the whiskey in those barrels so distinctive year after year.
How the Series Started: From Metze's Select Medley to an Annual Institution
The Repeal Reserve series didn't arrive fully formed. It traces back to 2015, when former master distiller Greg Metze launched "Metze's Select Medley" using MGP bourbons. When Metze left in 2016, his creation morphed into what is now the Remus Repeal Reserve's yearly release, spearheaded today by Master Distiller Ian Stirsman. What began as an internal barrel selection exercise became one of the most respected annual bourbon traditions in the country.
Remus Repeal Reserve is crafted by the expert distillers and blenders at MGP's historic Lawrenceburg distillery, and the medley changes each year, allowing the team to experiment with their various mash bills. That variability — rooted not in gimmickry but in genuine differences in barrel selection, aging duration, and mash bill proportion — is precisely what has kept collectors and enthusiasts returning each September when National Bourbon Heritage Month rolls around.
For the last decade, the Remus Repeal Reserve Series has honored the repeal of Prohibition with an evolving annual blend inspired by the legendary "King of the Bootleggers," George Remus. The series has accumulated an impressive trophy case in the process. Series VIII alone earned a platinum medal at the 2025 ASCOT Awards, a double gold medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and a gold medal and Consumer's Choice Award at the 2025 SIP Awards — with additional recognition including No. 1 Best Bourbon Under $100 by UPROXX, Top 5 Limited Bourbons and Whiskeys by Men's Journal, Whiskey of the Year by WhiskeyFellow, and a 98-point rating and double gold medal from The Tasting Panel.
Series IX: Setting the Stage for a Landmark Anniversary
To fully appreciate what Series X represents, one has to look at the trajectory the series was already on. Series IX, released in September 2025, made headlines for reasons beyond its components alone. Aged between 10 and 18 years, the 104-proof (52% ABV) non-chill filtered Remus Repeal Reserve Series IX was the highest proof ever for the series at the time of its release.
The blend itself was a showcase of Stirsman's skill with the distillery's signature high-rye mash bills. Series IX included 7% of an 18-year-aged bourbon containing 21% rye; 26% of an 11-year-aged bourbon comprising 36% rye; 23% of a 10-year-aged bourbon containing 36% rye; and 44% of a second 10-year-aged bourbon comprising 21% rye. The architecture of that blend — weighted toward the younger high-rye component while allowing the 18-year-old to play an almost editorial role — reflects a blender's discipline that not every distillery can claim.
Critics responded warmly. With all 10-plus-year-old bourbons and a fairly equal balance between high rye and low rye bourbon recipes, Series IX was described as a breakfast bourbon of the highest order that transitions into a fruity, leathery flavor powerhouse, with the 18-year-old component arriving on the late palate and finish — and at 104 proof, it was called dangerously drinkable. Another taster noted that Series IX is the thinking drinker's Remus — a drier, oakier, more seasoned take on the collection that trades the confectionery charm of Series VIII for age, depth, and maturity, appealing especially to fans of darker, earthier profiles.
Series X: The Anniversary Bourbon That Goes Where No Repeal Reserve Has Gone Before
With Series IX having already pushed the proof ceiling, the question heading into the tenth anniversary was obvious: how do you top it? The answer, it turns out, was not just to increase the proof but to fundamentally expand the palette of mash bills involved. Series X is bottled at 107 proof and features a blend of three mash bills — the historic LBSV, LESV, and the rarely seen LISV recipe, used for the first time in the series — drawing from a complex medley of multiple batches aged between 2008 and 2017 and expertly blended by Master Distiller Ian Stirsman.
The introduction of the LISV mash bill is no small detail. In a series that has historically toggled between the distillery's 21% and 36% rye recipes, bringing a third, rarely deployed recipe into the fold for the tenth installment signals that Stirsman wasn't simply content with incremental improvement. For the last decade, the Remus Repeal Reserve Series has honored the repeal of Prohibition with an evolving annual blend inspired by the legendary "King of the Bootleggers," George Remus — and Series X makes a convincing case that the brand is willing to open every toolbox in the shop for the occasion.
Tasting Notes: Series X on the Palate
What does a 107-proof three-mash-bill anniversary bourbon actually taste like? The nose offers French oak layered with vanilla, tobacco, and dark chocolate; the palate unfolds with almond croissant and vanilla alongside balanced oak and a subtle pistachio richness; and the finish is smooth and indulgent, carrying English toffee and candied almond. That flavor profile — savory and sweet in almost equal measure, driven by the kind of confident oak that only comes from barrels pushing a decade and a half — is exactly what longtime collectors of the series have come to expect, even as the specific contours shift from year to year.
Master Distiller Ian Stirsman offered his own perspective on the significance of the milestone. "Series X captures everything the Repeal Reserve collection has stood for over the last ten years, pushing the boundaries of what a blended bourbon can be while honoring the history behind it," said Stirsman. "And with our first-ever rye, we get to show a different side of our expertise."
The Landmark Addition: Remus Repeal Reserve Rye Whiskey
If Series X is the decade's capstone bourbon, the accompanying release is the year's genuine surprise. This year, Remus is also celebrating the repeal of Prohibition with the introduction of Remus Repeal Reserve Rye Whiskey — a limited-edition straight rye, a first for the brand, comprised of 2015 and 2016 reserves of Remus' signature 95% rye mash bill, bottled at 111 proof.
That 95% rye mash bill is a Lawrenceburg institution unto itself. A primary whiskey produced at MGP is a 95% rye product that has been bottled under multiple trade names, including Bulleit, James E. Pepper, and Templeton Rye. For years, enthusiasts who knew their sourcing have been well aware that this distillery's rye distillate is among the finest American rye whiskey produced anywhere. The fact that Remus has never bottled it under the Repeal Reserve banner until now makes this release genuinely historic — a decade in the making even if no one explicitly planned it that way.
The rye comes in at a bold 111 proof, four proof points above Series X, and draws from reserves laid down in 2015 and 2016 — meaning the whiskey in the bottle has been quietly aging through the entirety of the Repeal Reserve's existence. The nose reveals butterscotch, caramel, French oak, and cardamom, with a palate of mint, star anise, toffee, and fennel — and the finish closes with candy-coated fennel seed. That herbal and anise-forward profile is classic to high-percentage rye distillate from this distillery, though the proof and extended age give it a depth and oakiness that separates it from younger expressions in the marketplace.
What the Rye Means for the Brand's Future
The introduction of a rye expression under the Repeal Reserve umbrella is not just a one-off anniversary novelty. The distillery's globally renowned tradition of crafting the finest ryes and high-rye bourbons continues under the discerning eye of Master Distiller Ian Stirsman — and the Repeal Reserve Rye gives that tradition its own dedicated showcase within the brand's premium tier. If the reception matches the quality of the product and the significance of the moment, there is every reason to expect rye will become a recurring chapter in the series.
Ross & Squibb Distillery pays tribute to Indiana's distilling history and the pioneers who transformed Lawrenceburg, Indiana, into "Whiskey City USA" and helped make Indiana the rye capital of the world. A Repeal Reserve Rye is not just a product launch — it's the distillery reclaiming a category it helped define before the modern craft whiskey era rewrote the history books.
Pricing, Availability, and the Annual Ritual of the Hunt
Both Series X and the Remus Repeal Reserve Rye reach select retailers in September at a suggested retail price of $79.99. That price point — sitting below the $99.99 that Series IX commanded — is notable for a tenth-anniversary flagship release and a brand-new category entry simultaneously. Whether that reflects a deliberate accessibility strategy or simply the economics of available stock, it means neither bottle will put a dent in a budget the way some high-profile annual releases do.
Limited availability remains a defining characteristic of the series. Since its first release, the Remus Repeal Reserve Collection has been widely recognized as one of the standout annual bourbon series — and that recognition tends to translate into bottles moving quickly off shelves when September arrives. Collectors who have tracked the series from the beginning will remember when earlier installments commanded modestly lower prices and could be found with some patience. Those days are increasingly behind us for any release with this kind of track record.
The Blending Philosophy That Holds It All Together
What separates the Repeal Reserve series from the crowded field of annual limited releases is not marketing muscle — it's the genuine and replicable craft of blending aged stocks. Every installment has required Stirsman to work with what the warehouse actually contains, not what a marketing brief might prefer. That constraint is a feature, not a bug.
Many Remus Repeal Reserve Series releases start off featuring a strong classic bourbon base, and each release offers something unique on top of that — because being a Ross & Squibb Distillery (MGP)-produced bourbon, many of the distillery's typical flavor qualities are reliably present. That consistency of character across releases, even as the specific proportions and barrel selections vary, is the hallmark of a truly great blending program rather than a collection of disconnected annual experiments.
Master Blender Ian Stirsman and the team at Ross & Squibb assembled components distilled across multiple years, working with both the 21% and 36% high-rye mash bills that define the distillery's style. For Series X, adding the LISV recipe into that mix for the first time means Stirsman is working with more variables than any previous iteration of the series — and the fact that the tasting notes suggest a coherent, integrated pour rather than a muddled experiment speaks to the level of experience behind the blend.
A Decade in Context: What the Repeal Reserve Series Means for American Bourbon
Ten years of consistent, well-executed limited releases from a single distillery is rarer than the marketing language around annual expressions typically suggests. The bourbon category is littered with "annual" releases that skipped years, changed drastically in quality, or quietly disappeared. The Repeal Reserve series has done none of those things. It has gotten more ambitious with age, maintained the thematic coherence of its Prohibition-era tribute roots, and grown its proof and complexity in a way that feels earned rather than forced.
George Remus Bourbon expands its award-winning portfolio with Remus Repeal Reserve Series X and the brand's first-ever rye whiskey. Both releases arrive during National Bourbon Heritage Month, which is fitting — but the deeper significance is what they represent within the internal arc of the brand. A tenth anniversary release that introduces a new mash bill to the bourbon blend and simultaneously launches an entirely new spirit category is not a company playing it safe. It's a distillery expressing genuine confidence in its stocks, its blender, and its audience.
Founded in 1958, Luxco is a leading producer of premium spirits and operates as part of MGP Ingredients Inc. since 2021 — and the Remus Bourbon brand is produced at Ross & Squibb Distillery alongside other award-winning labels like Penelope Bourbon. Within that larger portfolio, Repeal Reserve has earned a flagship distinction that goes beyond volume or revenue. It is the series where the distillery shows its most aged barrels and most deliberate blending — a proving ground that happens to be available to civilians for under a hundred dollars.
For the Collector, the Enthusiast, and the Curious Newcomer
If you have followed the series from the beginning, Series X is obligatory. The introduction of the LISV mash bill, combined with the decade of context that surrounds it, makes this the most historically significant bottle in the run. The anniversary rye is the kind of release that, in five years, people will wish they had bought two bottles of — an 111-proof straight rye from a distillery with a century-long rye pedigree, drawn from stocks that stretch back to the very year the series launched.
If you are newer to the series and wondering where to start: Series X at $79.99 is an extraordinary entry point into what Ross & Squibb's aged stocks are capable of. The tasting notes alone — almond croissant, pistachio richness, dark chocolate on the nose, English toffee on the finish — describe a bourbon that rewards attention rather than demanding special occasion status. Pour it neat, give it time in the glass, and come back to it. That's always been the Repeal Reserve way.
The brand celebrates Squibb and Remus' dedication to quality with the award-winning Remus Bourbon, Remus Repeal Reserve, Remus Gatsby Reserve and Remus Single Barrel — and now, with Series X and the brand's inaugural rye bottling, that portfolio has taken its most significant single-year step forward since the Repeal Reserve series first appeared. Decade one is done. Whatever Stirsman and the team at Ross & Squibb have been aging for the next ten years, the rest of the whiskey world will be watching.
