Review: Laws Headwaters San Luis Valley Rye (2025)

In May 2025, Denver-based Laws Whiskey House released the second installment of its Headwaters Series: Headwaters 2025 San Luis Valley Straight Rye. This limited-edition expression honors the Rio Grande River, aligning with Laws’ core belief that sustainable whiskey depends on sustainable water sources. The release comes in response to AmericanRivers.org naming the Lower Rio Grande one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2025. As part of its ongoing commitment to water stewardship, Laws Whiskey House will donate 10% of proceeds from this release to the Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project (RGHRP)—a nonprofit organization dedicated to rehabilitating and protecting the Rio Grande Basin in Colorado.

Headwaters 2025 San Luis Valley Straight Rye is proofed down using water from the Rio Grande itself—the same water that nourished the rye grain used in the mash. This year’s mashbill is composed of 100% heirloom San Luis Valley rye: 50% raw and 50% malted. This is a notable departure from some past releases of Laws’ San Luis Valley Rye, which featured a mashbill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley.

The heirloom rye was grown at an elevation of 7,500 feet in Colorado’s San Luis Valley by the Cody family, who have cultivated this low-yield, semi-wild grain since the 1930s. After a four-day open-air fermentation, the mash was distilled through a 2,000-gallon stripping still and a 500-gallon spirit still—both hybrid pot/column stills from Vendome, operated here as traditional pot stills. Distilled to 125 proof, the spirit was barreled at entry proofs between 105 and 110 in 53-gallon #3 char barrels from Independent Stave Company. The final whiskey is a blend of five barrels: three aged for 4.5 years, one for 6.7 years, and the oldest for 8.2 years. It was bottled at 100 proof.

Laws Headwaters San Luis Valley Rye (2025) Review

The heirloom rye in Headwaters 2025 San Luis Valley Rye opens with a nose marked by balsamic cedar and a healthy dose of grapefruit oil. These lead quickly into aromas of orange blossom honey, dry hay, and firm, underripe peaches. The overall impression is a mix of brightness, earth tones, and light sweetness. On the palate, cooked quince and Biscoff cookies set the tone, followed by notes of macadamia nuts and tamarind. The whiskey carries a medium-thick texture that holds the flavors well. As it finishes, almond and dried cherry show up first, with brown sugar and spearmint closing things out.

Headwaters 2025 is a worthy addition to Laws Whiskey House’s lineup. The use of heirloom rye brings a distinct flavor profile that stands out from more conventional rye expressions. At $85, with 10% of proceeds supporting the Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project, it offers both high-quality whiskey and a contribution to a meaningful cause. For those who appreciate character and craftsmanship in rye, it’s a good purchase.

100 proof.

B+ / $85 / lawswhiskeyhouse.com

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