Wendy Peveich Explains How Archer Eland Makes Rye Taste Luxurious

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We sit down with Wendy Peveich, founder and blender behind Archer Eland, to talk about building a rye whiskey brand that flies the Ohio flag and still competes on flavor, proof, and value. We taste through four distinct rye expressions and dig into why rye is so hard to make, so easy to misunderstand, and so rewarding when it’s blended with intent.

• New Orleans Bourbon Festival reception and what “finger on the pulse” really looks like
• Wendy’s shift from cardiovascular nurse practitioner to whiskey industry work
• Why she chooses rye over bourbon and what makes rye distillation difficult
• Archer Eland’s 100% rye approach and how malted rye fits the process
• Solstice as the 104-proof entry bottle and the Rye-Rita cocktail idea
• Aurora as the “problem child” blend and the Northern Lights naming story
• Cashmere as a cask strength rye that surprises bourbon drinkers
• Suede as a one-off release plus the 9-11 barrel birthday meaning
• How warehouse placement and maturation timing shape flavor
• Why stainless steel stops maturation and what oxidation can still do
• Upcoming limited drops including 14X1B and where releases will land

Ohio rye doesn’t need permission from Kentucky, and Wendy Peveich is living proof. We’re joined by Wendy, the founder and blender behind Archer Eland rye whiskey, fresh off the New Orleans Bourbon Festival, where she put her brand in front of drinkers who swear they “hate rye” and watched the room change sip by sip. She shares how judging spirits, traveling the festival circuit, and learning to read palates helped her refine a whiskey brand built on intention, transparency, and real value at the shelf.

Wendy’s story starts in an unexpected place: she spent years as a cardiovascular nurse practitioner, then used whiskey as a creative outlet during the stress of COVID. That curiosity turned into barrel curations, market-building work, and finally a leap into entrepreneurship. We dig into why she chose 100% rye (rye plus malted rye) instead of chasing a crowded bourbon lane, what makes rye so difficult to distill, and why “green” minty notes and spice don’t have to be a dealbreaker when blending is done with discipline.

Then we taste the Archer Eland lineup: Solstice as the approachable 104-proof entry point (plus a rye margarita twist), Aurora as a deeper rye-forward pour with Northern Lights inspiration, Cashmere as a cask strength curveball that can fool bourbon drinkers, and Suede as a one-off “happy accident” she refuses to recreate. We also get into warehouse maturation, how rye can swing season to season, why stainless steel stops aging, and what’s coming next with limited time offerings and future finished rye innovation.

If you’re into rye whiskey, craft distilling, Ohio whiskey, or simply want a smarter way to think about blending and barrel maturation, subscribe, share this with a rye skeptic, and leave us a review. Which of the four profiles would you reach for first?
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