Hudson Short Stack 750ML

Hudson Short Stack 750ML is a New York straight rye whiskey finished in maple syrup barrels, bottled at 46% ABV (92 proof) in a 750ml bottle. Made by Hudson Whiskey in the Hudson Valley, it takes the brand's peppery rye and rests it in casks that previously aged maple syrup, giving it a breakfast-table sweetness without added sugar.

Quick Facts: ABV: 46% (92 proof) | Origin: Hudson Valley, New York, USA | Style: Straight Rye Whiskey, Maple Cask Finish | Distillery: Hudson Whiskey (Tuthilltown Spirits)

Production & Heritage

Hudson Whiskey began at Tuthilltown Spirits in Gardiner, New York, which in the mid-2000s became the first whiskey distillery to operate legally in the state since Prohibition. Its early releases in squat 375ml bottles helped kick off the American craft whiskey movement, and the brand was later acquired by William Grant & Sons, which rebuilt the range around full-size bottles and New York grain. Short Stack starts as Hudson's straight rye, distilled from a rye-heavy mash of New York grain and aged in new charred American oak. The whiskey is then transferred to barrels that previously held maple syrup from the region, where it picks up a rounded, toasty sweetness. The rye grain, the maple casks and the distillery are all local, which makes Short Stack one of the few whiskeys that is genuinely a product of the Hudson Valley from field to finish.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Maple sugar, toasted pecan and vanilla over a bed of fresh rye bread and black pepper. A hint of orange peel and cinnamon rounds out the nose.

Taste: Sweet and spicy in equal measure: maple syrup and brown butter arrive first, then the rye asserts itself with clove, pepper and dried herbs. The 46% strength keeps the sweetness from turning cloying.

Finish: Medium to long, with maple candy giving way to oak spice and a peppery rye snap. A gentle toasted-nut note lingers.

How to Drink Hudson Short Stack

Hudson Short Stack is approachable neat or over a large ice cube, where the maple opens up and the rye spice softens. Its sweetness makes it a natural in stirred drinks that would normally call for a sugar component: build a Maple Old Fashioned with bitters and an orange peel and skip the syrup, mix a Manhattan with sweet vermouth and a brandied cherry, or shake a Rye Sour with lemon and a dash of maple for a brunch-ready cocktail. It also pours well into coffee.

Best For

• Rye drinkers who enjoy a sweeter, dessert-leaning finish
• Brunch cocktails and maple-forward Old Fashioneds
• Gifting a New York State whiskey with a local story
• Fall and winter sipping alongside pie, pancakes or roasted nuts

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hudson Short Stack taste like? It tastes like a peppery rye whiskey wrapped in maple syrup: maple sugar, pecan, vanilla and brown butter up front, then clove, black pepper and rye bread, finishing with oak spice and a toasted-nut note.

How does Hudson Short Stack compare to Hudson Do The Rye Thing? Do The Rye Thing is the unfinished straight rye: drier, spicier and more grain-forward. Short Stack is the same base whiskey after time in maple syrup barrels, so it is rounder and sweeter with a clear maple signature.

Is Hudson Short Stack good for cocktails? Yes. Its built-in sweetness means you can cut or skip the sugar in an Old Fashioned or sour, and at 92 proof it holds its own against vermouth and bitters in a Manhattan.

Where is Hudson Short Stack made? It is distilled, aged and finished at Hudson Whiskey's distillery in Gardiner, New York, in the Hudson Valley, using New York grain and maple syrup barrels from the region.

What foods pair well with Hudson Short Stack? Pancakes and waffles are the obvious match, but it also pairs with candied bacon, pecan pie, aged cheddar, smoked ham and dark chocolate with sea salt.

What sizes does Hudson Short Stack come in? Hudson Short Stack is sold in the 750ml bottle.

Is Hudson Short Stack worth the price? For a straight rye with a genuine barrel finish from one of the pioneering craft distilleries in the United States, it is fairly priced, and it offers a flavor profile that mass-market flavored whiskeys do not match because nothing is added after the cask.

Why Hudson Short Stack?

Hudson Short Stack earns its place by finishing a real straight rye in real maple barrels, rather than sweetening a young whiskey with syrup. The result keeps the pepper and grain character that Hudson rye is known for and layers maple, pecan and vanilla over it, at a 92 proof that stays balanced. It is a whiskey with a sense of place, made from New York grain in the Hudson Valley, and it is as useful in a brunch cocktail as it is in a glass by the fire. For anyone curious about barrel finishes done honestly, it is an easy bottle to recommend.