In the 2000s, LeNell Santa Ana Camacho owned a specialty liquor store in Brooklyn's Red Hook district. She was a trailblazer in American whiskey, not only stocking prestigious brands like Pappy Van Winkle but also traveling to Kentucky to expand her selection. During one of these trips, she met Drew Kulsveen from Willett distillery. They struck up a conversation that led to the selection of four barrels of rye whiskey, aged between 23 and 24 years and bottled at cask strength. This proved to be a remarkable decision as the barrels originated from a legendary batch distilled at Bernheim Distillery in Louisville during the early 1980s. Other notable whiskeys from this batch include Rathskeller Rye and the Bitter Truth, but LeNell’s Red Hook Rye has emerged as the most distinctive and sought-after American whiskey, perhaps of all time. Adding to its allure, each bottle is personally signed by LeNell herself.
