Which Rye To Buy
Ready to start sipping your way around the world of rye whiskey? We can help guide you. For mixing, like in the Rye-Whiskey Switchels shown above, we like Rittenhouse Rye . Its rye content is on the lower end of the ratio so it’s got a balanced, spicy-but-sweet flavor profile, and its friendly price tag means you dont have to save it for special occasions.
For sipping, consider treating yourself to Redemption 10 Year Barrel Proof Rye , a potent powerhouse with a long, mellow finish that contains 95 percent rye balanced out with just five percent malted barley. Also check out WhistlePig Distillery’s portfolio of notable rye whiskey, including their Old World Cask Finish Rye , which is aged 12 years and finished in port, Madeira, and French sauternes barrels.
What To Make With Rye Whiskey: 23 Delicious Cocktails
If I’m having whiskey, my first choice is rye. I love its spicy flavor and the way it cuts through a drink, whether you’re working with budget bottles or fancier options.
I also love that rye cocktails can be as simple or as complex as you likejust dress it up with sugar and bitters, or mix in all sorts of liqueurs, aromatized wines, and fresh juices. Got a bottle of rye and wondering how to use it? Keep reading for 23 of our favorite cocktails, including both simple classics, like the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan, and drinks made with less common ingredients, like cacao nibs, chicory, or even balsamic vinegar.
Hudson Whiskey Do The Rye Thing
Sebastien Derbomez, William Grant & Sons manager of brand advocacy
ABV: 46%
Average Price:$45
Why This Whiskey?
Try New Yorks first straight whiskey in nearly a century, Hudson Whiskeys Do The Rye Thing. The name says it all, so do the rye thing and taste this new liquid. Its bold and peppery with a slight fruitiness. Id say whip up a delicious New York Ryeball highball, it is easy to make and refreshing. Simply mix Hudson Whiskey Do The Rye Thing, Sweet Vermouth, fresh lime, and top with Ginger Ale in a highball glass filled with ice. The spices and fruitiness flavors found in Hudson combine perfectly with these ingredients, its my go-to drink for this summer.
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Awesome Mixed Drinks And Recipe Ideas
If you ever have questions on where to pour your whiskey , go to the straightforward whiskey highball. It is simple with this formula: all you need is whiskey and soda. The sweet, somewhat fiery soft drink is an incredible upgrade to any rye, and the simplicity of blending it up makes it an extraordinary go-to for party time.
The Oriental mixed drink is an interesting formula from the 1920s. Ryes flavor counterbalances the beverages prepared profile. Its another upgraded Manhattan, adding Cointreau and lime juice to the whiskey and sweet vermouth base.
Most beverages from the last part of the 1800s do exclude seven fixings, so the morning brilliance is remarkable in such a manner. This formula additionally combines rye whiskey with Cognac that point includes little proportions of curaçao, absinthe, and club pop. The absinthe makes it particularly important, unquestionably worth a taste.
Mixed Drink Romance with every Sip
As you would expect, the tycoon mixed drink is somewhat more wanton than most. It offsets the rye with charming pleasantness from grenadine and strawberry and orange mixers. Skirt the egg white if you like. However, it gives the beverage a delicious froth that makes the beverage mystical.
The Manhattan Cocktail extends into an outstanding mixed drink amongst other tasting favorites you can mix up. Serve it as an evening gathering opener, and appreciate the impression of severe highlighted rye whiskey.
Willett Family Estate 4 Year Straight Rye
Jeremy Williams, mixologist at MDRD at the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids, Michigan
ABV: 55%
Average Price:$69
Why This Whiskey?
If you are interested in picking up a special bottle, check out Willett Family Estate 4 Year Straight Rye. This deeply complex and highly luxurious beauty is bottled at around 115 proof. It bears sophisticated rye spice, a touch of sweetness, and wonderful toasted notes.
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Milam & Greene Straight Rye Whiskey Finished In Port Wine Casks
Darron Foy, bar manager at The Flatiron Room in New York City
ABV: 47%
Average Price:$49
Why This Whiskey?
Im currently loving Milam & Greene Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Casks. Bottled at 47 percent ABV, the Indiana rye is brought to Texas and finished in Portuguese port casks under the Texas sun. Due to the extreme temperatures, each barrel has to be very carefully monitored to ensure the whiskey is removed and bottled at the right moment.
I love rye, and when you compliment the spice and heat of good straight rye with the tempered sweetness of dark stewed fruit, whats not to love? Pepper and ham notes mix with blackcurrant and wine tannins. The finish is dry and long, egging you on to pour yourself another. Its delicious neat, on the rocks, or in any rye forward cocktail.
Best Under $: Ragtime
From Brooklyn’s New York Distilling Company, this bottling is made exclusively with New York state rye grain. Ragtime Rye is a craft spirit with a ton of character: its robust, warming, and filled with holiday spice. Marissa Mazzotta, bar director at The Shanty, the distillerys attached bar, recommends stretching it out with bubbly soda water in a Whiskey Highball, though it would also work in a strong, stirred drink like an aptly named Brooklyn. She also advises not to pass on the distillerys limited edition Applejack Barrel Finished Ragtime Rye. Its very versatile, with a slight hint of apple on the finish that perfectly compliments the big rye flavor, she says.
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Michters Singel Barrel 10
Average Price:$230
The Whiskey:
This release is in the same selection process as the ten-year bourbon above. However, because the point of Michthers was to bring rye back to mainstream prominence, this bottle holds a very special place in whiskey drinkers hearts. This is the bottle of rye that distillers are still chasing to this day.
Tasting Notes:
Butter-rich toffee meets marzipan cut with rose water next to black peppery spice, apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks, and earthy cedar bark. Bespoke Red Hots mingle with orange oils, more cedar, vanilla pods, and a rush of fresh spicy/sweet chili peppers. The almond edge loses some of its marzipan sweetness and dries out as the cedar marries spicy tobacco, soft vanilla cream, and orange oils linger on your senses.
Bottom Line:
$200 for a bottle of rye might seem outrageous. But this rye is phenomenal. And its worth noting thats the MSRP price and not the hyped, secondary market price. All of that aside, Ive often argued that this is the rye all others should be measured against. So grab a bottle and see what you think.
Best For Sipping: Russells Reserve Single Barrel
I love that Eddie Russell created this despite the fact that his father, Jimmy, whos been distilling and blending Wild Turkey for 60-plus years, hates rye, says Ellenwood. On behalf of all rye drinkers out there, we thank Eddie for rebelling against his father and creating this fine, single barrel rye. At 104 proof, it definitely packs some heat, but thats the essence of rye. Pour it straight and youll get the intensity of the vanilla from its time spent in oak barrels, along with earthy, smoky flavors and a nice, dry finish. Of course, you can also take advantage of the rye’s power by stirring it into a Boulevardier.
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Rye Shows Why Its The Spice Of Life In These 20 Delicious Drinks
Liquor.com / Tim Nusog
The first half of this list is bartenders choice cocktails, contemporary creations that come straight from the cocktail shakers of todays top bartenders. The second half is classics, both pre-Prohibition standards and more modern ones that have achieved worldwide acclaim. Youre sure to find something for every palate among these 20 drinks.
Bourbons cousin rye is just as classic an American spirit as its relative and can play in just as many ways. Boasting big, spicy and brash flavors, rye whiskey is the backbone in many classic cocktails and new recipes alike. Pair the spirit with everything from vermouth and beer to fruit and chocolate to see just how versatile it can be.
Lock Stock & Barrel 16 Year Rye
Another whiskey from the Great White North, Lock Stock & Barrels 16 Year is an option thats great for those who are after big, bold flavors and want to splurge. Double distilled from a 100% Canadian rye mashbill and aged in charred American Oak barrels, the result is a spirit that pours a warm amber color with a sweet-yet-herbal nose and a palate that really brings some richness in the form of brown sugar, toasted pecans, and vanilla.
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High West A Midwinter Nights Dram
Average Price:$122
The Whiskey:
Each year, this limited drop varies slightly. This release was a mix of MGP rye and High West rye finished in French oak barrels that held ruby and tawny port. The barrels picked for this batch were between four and seven years old with the older barrels coming from Indiana and the younger ones from Utah.
Tasting Notes:
This bursts forth with bright red berries covered in rich and bitter dark chocolate with sultanas, burnt orange peels, and nutmeg-heavy French toast custard. The palate really holds onto the berries while savory rhubarb cobbler mingles with dates, old leather tobacco pouches, and vanilla pudding with a salted caramel drizzle. The end leans into eggnog spices with a touch of bitter black tea, more leathery tobacco, and a whisper of fresh mint.
Bottom Line:
If youre going to get one High West this year, this is the one. Its delicious, unique, and just accessible enough while still being so rare as to wow your friends.
Old Fashioned Cocktails For A Crowd
My favorite cocktail of all time is also one of the simplest. At its core, an Old Fashioned is just whiskey with a little sweetener and a few dashes of Angostura bitters. Making a big-batch version for a party is super easyrather than stirring each drink, you’ll add a little water to the bottle to dilute the whole recipe, then chill it.
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Redemption Rum Cask Finish
Average Price:$45
The Whiskey:
Redemption is a Connecticut mainstay that sources its juice from MGP of Indiana. This whiskey MGPs iconic 95 percent rye mash bill thats then finished in rum casks in partnership with Plantation Rum. Theyre using both Jamaican and Barbadian rum barrels, blended for this fascinating Rum Cask Finish.
Tasting Notes:
Theres a mix of rummy molasses thats spiced with Christmas spices and vanilla, with a hint of tart fruit and sherried jamminess. The taste doesnt really deviate too much from those notes and holds onto the molasses, spice, and vanilla while a touch of oak arrives late with a note of citrus. The end is short-ish and really leans into the rummy nature of the spices and sweetness.
Bottom Line:
Its wild how much different this is than the other MGP ryes on this list. Its so much more refined and deeply flavored that youll likely forget its even from Indiana. Its also a great crossover whiskey that shines beautifully in cocktails or on the rocks as a sipper.
Whistlepig Roadstock Rye Whiskey
Average Price:$75
The Whiskey:
This 2021 release from WhistlePig has a pretty cool story and a wild mix of finishing barrels. The Vermont whiskey maker had. special 18-wheeler semi-truck and trailer made to transport barrels of Canadian rye from Vermont to Paso Robles, CA, and back and yes, they had a blocker car. Before the 6,000-mile roundtrip journey started, some of the whiskey was barreled into red wine casks from Jordan Winery which held a Bordeaux blend. Once the barrels reached California, the remaining whiskey not in the wine casks was barreled in barrels from Firestone Walker Brewery which previously held their Imperial Stout, Imperial Blonde Ale, and Experimental Ale. All the barrels were then driven back to Vermont for proofing and bottling, making this the first road finished rye on the market.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a burst of berry brambles hanging heavy with blackberries, blueberries, and savory gooseberries next to a wisp of green stems and seeds that leads towards a woody maple syrup and a hint of orange zest. The orange zest drives the spiciness of the palate as stewed peaches and pears combine the fruit, sweetness, and spice while cedar sneaks in late. The finish leans towards a spicy-yet-fruity tobacco leaf with a touch more of that cedar and a cinnamon cookie with a hint of brown butter and sugar.
Bottom Line:
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What Soda To Mix With Whiskey
Made by aging fermented and distilled grains in wooden barrels, whiskey has been the drink of choice for centuries.
For whiskey lovers, theres nothing better than kicking back with a good glass of scotch, rye, or bourbon.
While some people enjoy the drink neat or on the rocks, others prefer cutting it with a mixer.
In this article, we explore the best soda to mix with whiskey.
Old Forester Rye Sazerac
Old Forester Rye makes a perfect base for the classic Sazerac due to its high proof and distinctive tasting notes. The proprietary mashbill, with its generous portion of malted barley , establishes elements of magnolia, anise, and lemonmaking for a cohesive landscape to build this classic cocktail upon. Jackie Zykan, master taster at Old Forester
Ingredients:
2 oz. Old Forester rye
0.5 oz. simple syrup
6 dashes Peychauds Bitters
1 barspoon absinthe
Lemon peel
Method: Rinse a chilled old-fashioned glass with the absinthe, add crushed ice, and set it aside. Stir the remaining ingredients over ice and set it aside. Discard the ice and any excess absinthe from the prepared glass, and strain the drink into the glass. Add the lemon peel for garnish.
Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
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Best Under $2: Old Overholt
A favorite of bartenders and budget-conscious whiskey drinkers, Old Overholt has stood the test of time. Case in point: the brand boasts that it was the most popular spirit in the country after Prohibition was lifted. This rye starts with a cereal sweetness and a touch of vanilla, then finishes with a bracing hit of white pepper. And while youll often see it as the stiffer half of a Boilermaker, this rye can also be stirred into a fine Manhattan or a spicy Old Fashioned.
Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey
Average Price:$40
The Whiskey:
This whiskey was a long time coming. Master Distiller Chris Morris tinkered with this recipe for nine years before it was just right. The juice has a fairly low-rye mash bill, for a rye anyway. The bill only calls for 53 percent of the spicy grain. The rest is made up of local corn and malted barley. The whiskey then spends up to seven years maturing at their climate-controlled Versailles, Kentucky facility before its blended, proofed with soft limestone water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Grassy rye comes through with a nice note of sharp black pepper next to mellow pear and marzipan with a hint of cedar bark. The palate really delivers on the pear with a honeyed sweetness while the rye pepperiness ebbs and flows without overpowering the subtler notes of malt, clove, and even fresh mint. The finish drives home the woodier aspects of the spice but leaves you with a dried straw feel.
Bottom Line:
This is another whiskey you should have on your bar cart for mixing up cocktails. It feels like classic rye that has a little more depth than, say, an average MGP one.
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Manhattan Cocktails For A Crowd
If you like spirituous drinks, but you want something a little softer than an Old Fashioned, a classic Manhattan will do the trick. Rye’s spice is amplified with Angostura bitters, and high-quality sweet vermouth adds juicy berry notes. Note: If your bottle of vermouth is more than a month old, toss it and start fresh.
Dads Hat Pennsylvania Rye
Made in one of the more historical rye styles of the U.S. Old Monongahela Rye Dads Hat is, perhaps surprisingly to most, aged only six months. What helps this though is that the aging occurs in 50-liter casks . What comes out is a bright rye whiskey that is full of fruit and spice notes and a good look at what used to be consumed.
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Our Guide To Rye Whiskey For Sipping Or Mixing
We explain how rye is made and aged, which will help you understand why this spicy, robust whiskey is worth exploring.
Shortly on the heels of the bourbon boom came the rye renaissance, with demand for rye whiskey growing year over year during the past decade. If you’re just beginning to learn about American whiskeys, check out our explainer on the difference between bourbon and rye. If you’re interested in better understanding the latter, this is a good place to start.