Washington's rye whiskey now for sale

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/10/22/141589394/drinking-whiskey-in-the-spirit-of-george-washington?sc=nl&cc=nh-20111022

Oh lord, why does it have to be rye? (I've never liked the stuff). I'm not an expert on colonial era distilling and agriculture, and am in no position to question those who are. But I do wonder where the rye comes from? I always associate that grain with more Northern climes, (the Dakotas and Canada) than the mid-Potomac area.