Commodore's Cut
Cut No. 5 Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey
Barrel No. MGR02-HH1
Ross & Squibb Distillery (formerly MGP), Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Aged 11+ Years | 117.36 Proof
Release Date: November 10, 2026
Product Details | Barrel Specs
DISTILLERY
MGP, Lawrenceburg, Indiana
STYLE
Straight Rye (95/5)
AGE
11+ Years
PROOF
117.36 (Barrel Strength, Uncut — not cut or filtered)
BARREL NO.
MGR02-HH1
BOTTLES
180 — Single Barrel, Limited Release
MATURATION
Distilled as a rye at MGP in Indiana, double-oaked in a Heaven Hill bourbon barrel, and aged at altitude in Colorado.
SELECTED BY
CAPT Don “Willie” Williamson, USN (Ret.), former Commodore, HSM Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Founder, Commodore’s Cut
The Commodore’s Cut Standard
Every Commodore’s Cut is a single barrel — personally selected, bottled, and numbered. When a barrel is gone, it’s gone; no two are ever the same, and none is ever made twice. Each release is offered as a salute to those who serve — our military, law enforcement, fire & rescue, and EMS. One barrel. Made once, never again.
A Veterans Day Tribute
Cut No. 5 arrives on November 10 — the eve of Veterans Day, and, as it happens, the Marine Corps 251st birthday. A fitting day to raise a bold glass to all who serve, and all who have.
Every Cut Has a Cause — Semper Fi & America’s Fund
In keeping with our salute to those who serve, Commodore’s Cut is proud to support Semper Fi & America’s Fund in connection with Cut No. 5. The Fund provides for combat-wounded, critically ill, and catastrophically injured service members and their families — across every branch of the Armed Forces. Though it was born in the Marine Corps, today it stands for all who serve. For a release that arrives on Veterans Day, there’s no better cause to stand behind.
NOSE
Warm baking spice, caramel, and toasted oak, with a touch of orchard fruit.
PALATE
Rye-forward — black pepper, cinnamon, and clove — rounded by caramel and vanilla from the bourbon barrel.
MOUTH-FEEL
Full and warming, with a gentle oily weight.
FINISH & COMPLEXITY
Long and spice-led, mellowing into sweet oak. Opens up with a drop of water; the rye spice and bourbon-barrel sweetness trade back and forth from first sip to last.
Tasting Notes
The Story Behind This barrel
the Selection
There’s a reason November’s release is a rye. It lands on November 10 — the eve of Veterans Day, and, fittingly, the Marine Corps birthday — and a day that honors those who serve calls for a bold, assertive spirit. Of the four barrels Ben set in front of me, this big, spice-driven rye felt like the right salute. A touch spicier than Cut No. 3, but just as smooth and easy to savor.
the Spirit
It begins as a rye from MGP in Indiana — a 95/5 mash bill aged more than eleven years, with all the bold, peppery backbone that makes a well-aged rye worth seeking out.
the Finish
Rather than leave that spice sharp, we gave it a second home in a Heaven Hill bourbon barrel. The bourbon-seasoned oak softens the rye’s edges and layers in caramel and vanilla — a bold rye, mellowed. It’s a quieter kind of finish than the port-and-sherry crowd chase, and a signature we’ve come to love.
the Environment -
Aged at Altitude
Every Commodore’s Cut matures in the thin, dry air of the Colorado high desert. At altitude, the wider temperature swings and lower pressure draw the whiskey deeper into the wood and back out again — a more active conversation between spirit and barrel than it would ever have at sea level. It’s the Rocky Mountain climate that gives every Cut its particular depth and character.
How to Purchase
at Onyx & Amber
Cut No. 5 is a single-barrel release — once these bottles are gone, they're gone for good. Bottles are available exclusively through Commodore's Cut and Onyx & Amber. Given the age and rarity of this release, we expect it to move quickly; we'd encourage you not to wait.
Commodore’s Cut is selected from aged single barrel inventory, bottled, and fulfilled in collaboration with Onyx & Amber. When you click the purchase link, you will be taken to the Commodore’s Cut purchase page on the Onyx & Amber website. All orders, fulfillment, and shipping are handled by O&A, with direct-to-consumer delivery available in 47 states.
Onyx & Amber was chosen because their standards and mine align — in barrel selection, in transparency about provenance, and in the belief that exceptional whiskey should be able to tell you exactly where it came from and why it was chosen.
ABOUT ONYX & AMBER
Commodore's Cut is produced in collaboration with Onyx & Amber, Denver, Colorado — a craft spirits company founded by the Colorado Bourbon & Rye Collectors community. Onyx & Amber ages sourced whiskey at altitude in Denver's unique climate, where barometric pressure swings and dry mountain air accelerate maturation and concentrate flavor.
Learn more about Ben Rosen and Onyx & Amber: www.onyxandamber.com