Watch John Rich Talk About Redneck Riviera Whiskey Here
According to country superstar John Rich, “Redneck Riviera” is not necessarily a physical place, but more or less a “state of mind.” Whether you’re at the lake, downtown at a bar, shooting pool with friends, or chillin’ out in the backyard kiddy pool, it’s where you go in your head to relax and have a good time. And that’s exactly what has inspired half of the Big and Rich duo to launch his own American blended whiskey appropriately titled “Redneck Riviera.”
The whiskey, slated to hit stores and bars next month, is the only one of its kind in the world. Meaning, not only is it American made (which is unheard of for whiskey), but the glass bottle itself is produced in America. In order to bring to life this one of a kind concoction, Rich teamed up with Eastside Distilling out of Portland, Oregon, a world renowned company known for their product and attention to detail. In fact, it took over one hundred test tasting mini bottles and roughly seven months to come up with the final prize. He showed off a basket of those mini bottles and explained the process to friends, industry reps, and media while standing behind his own private bar. Nope– not the one downtown on Broadway. That one actually won’t be done until sometime in the spring but you can bet it will be packed out every day and night when it does open. We are talking about the private bar in his house on Love Circle which overlooks the Nashville skyline and of course, his famous guitar shaped pool. It was a 2 for 1 celebration as the whiskey sampling took the cake with his birthday party the weekend of January 6. And when it comes to the house, otherwise known as Mt. Richmore, Rich says it was built by the fans.
Rich told the crews how “pumped and proud” he is to get it out to the masses. With a motto like “work hard, play hard” he says that he understands the concept of stretching that dollar as far as you can without giving up the quality. Growing up, his dad worked multiple jobs and they didn’t have a lot of money for vacations. But when he was around ten, they left Texas for a vacation on the Florida panhandle, right in the heart of Redneck Riviera, where Rich got his first taste of saltwater—a taste and a time he never forgot. So not only did he design it to be the smoothest tasting whiskey out there, but he priced it to be super affordable.
“The people have given me something great with my music. I want to be able to give back.”
And because “giving back” is a staple in the country music world, the “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” genius is now taking it one step further. Rich was ecstatic to announce his partnership with the organization, Folds of Honor, which pays for the college tuition of kids whose parents were killed in combat. Last year alone, they gave over $60 million dollars in scholarships. And now, their FOH logo will not only be on the RR bottle, but a percentage of every bottle sold goes back to Folds of Honor.
But perhaps the success and high demand for the coveted liquor would have been way less meaningful if it wasn’t for the approval of one very important person—Grandma Rich. At almost 86 years old, she still lives by herself in Ashland City, Tennessee and works 40 hours a week at Rich’s alterations. And she’s been drinking whiskey since she was 14 years old. It’s safe to say that her grandson trusts her opinion more than anybody. So what did he do? He showed up on her doorstep at 10:30 one morning and turned her sewing machine into a bar. Her response?
“Well John Daniel, I think you done rung the bell with this one.” So if anyone had any doubts before, just know that is been “Granny approved”.
And if you don’t drink straight whiskey like Grandma Rich, don’t worry. Grandson Rich has you covered with an extensive cocktail menu, designed by a master mixologist based right here in Nashville, Stuart Melia. Our two picks based on the tasting? “The Stetson” and “Saddle Up”—a little fruit with a lot of whiskey goes a long way, right ladies?! And by February, these American made bottles will be the newest edition to Rich’s line of Redneck Riviera bars, including Vegas and Nashville and any he may build in the future. But the distribution doesn’t stop there. Other tourist hotspots on Nashville’s Broadway are set to include the brand as well as liquor stores in select states. The goal is to make it to all 50 states by the end of the year. To find out if your state is in the running, check out redneckriveria.com.
Being the prolific musician he is, Rich couldn’t talk about whiskey without talking about music.
“Coming up with a great whiskey is no different than writing a great song. It’s okay to take your time because you write and record it, and put it out there, and it’s out. It’s a permanent thing.” He adds, “It’s not unlike when you write a hit song. You write a lot of songs, but every now and then, you’ll write one and when it’s the right one, you go Bingo!!! That’s it! You just know it. Any artist will tell you that. Any songwriter will tell you that.”
Bingo John Rich. On the music, the house, the bars, and the whiskey. To keep up with all things Redneck Riviera, follow them on Twitter @RedneckRiviera and on Instagram @RealRedneckRiviera. And of course, hit up the Redneck Riviera bar in downtown Nashville (or Vegas) to try it out for yourself! This has been John Rich and Country Note approved!