I was a Bourbon drinker years ago and you helped open me up to new tastes when I started drinking Bourbon again.
I like Angels Envy,Knob Creek and Larceny neat when I can't find Blantons and Makers Mark for mixed drinks.
Then I wanted to venture into Scotch and once again you have helped me find the right Scotch. Sherry,Port and Caribbean Rum cask finished is what my wife and I like the most.

Now lets talk Rye.
I have never tried Rye.
I have been told it is like Bourbon but a little more spicy and a little more burn.
So what do you all say?

Wilderness Trail Rye's are fantastic for the price. Some Rye has a very dilly spice to them some do not.

One of the faves is Angels Envy Rye, has a aged rum finish. I do enjoy Knob Creek rye too

I gave several hundreds $$ of Rye in the bar. My favorite everyday drink is Old Overholt Rye for about $15 a bottle.

quote:

Originally posted by recoatlift:
Old Forester & Old Grandad are high in rye % and taste good. Reasonable price also.

[FLASH_VIDEO] https://youtu.be/1ns1knS5MVs [/FLASH_VIDEO]

Bulleit makes a good rye.

Old Forester Rye and Knob Creek Rye are on my always around list.

Pick your favorite bourbon and buy their Rye.

It's all a matter of personal taste. I have tried many of those mentioned above and did not like them. I settled on George Dickel Rye for awhile until it temporarily disappeared. That led me to try and like Jim Beam Rye, which is now my go-to.

Sazerac, Bulleitt, and whistlepig. Each progressively more expensive of course. Haven’t tried it but the Basil Hayden’s Dark rye is a hit around me.

By law rye mash must be at least 51% rye. That leaves a lot of room in the market for ryes that veer more towards bourbon or more towards rye. The 51% ryes, barely legal ryes, are generally less spicy than ryes with much more rye in the mash. Rye spice, mint, and sometimes pickle can be dominant. Barley is typically used to round out the mash of rye and corn as it helps in the distillation process. That said there is a widespread mash that uses only rye and corn.

From the big distillers:

Barley legal ryes (51% rye, 35% corn, 14% barley) that you might consider are Rittenhouse, Sazerac, Pikesville, and the Wild Turkey and Russell's Reserve ryes. Pikesville and Rittenhouse come from the same place. Pikesville is higher proof and one of ryes better buys. The Russell's Reserve Single Barrel rye is one of my favorites and one of the better bottles you'll find on a shelf.

The next step up in rye content is Woodford and Old Forester. They're both 65% rye, 15% corn, 20% barley. The OF is around $25 and one of the better bargains around. I'd pass on the Woodford as it's more expensive but not better.

More rye is present in the 95% rye 5% corn offerings from MGP. Bulleit rye is one of them. There are many others under a wide variety of labels as MGP is the source of much aged "craft" bourbon and rye. Read the label. If it says distilled in Indiana it's almost assuredly MGP. There's nothing wrong with sourcing, just be aware that Bulleit rye is around $25 and other sourced rye from MGP is much more expensive. Smooth Ambler rye comes from MGP and is excellent.

With the big boys out of the way we can talk about some other stuff.

Michter's is sourced or isn't depending on the product. The barrel strength bottle I've had was good.

Willett makes two rye mashbills. One barely legal one 74% rye, 11% corn, 15% barley. Their 4yr cask strength rye is pretty great. It's on the pricier side but worth it.

High West sources their rye and does a great job. They offer different cask finishes that impart interesting flavors onto the underlying rye. Double Rye is a blend of two different aged ryes. It good on its own. Cask finished range from wine to rum to scotch to brandy and more. They're all pretty good. Rendezvous is a step up in price. It's worth it. Something to investigate after you've gotten your feet wet.

Woodinville is a younger distillery out of WA. Their rye still tastes a little young to me but it's good and they're heading in the right direction and doing things right.

Wildness Trail and New Riff are younger KY distilleries doing things the right way and turning out good to great product. I enjoy both but prefer Wilderness Trail. I think Wilderness Trail cask strength rye is one of the most slept on things in the game right now and is going to be the next big thing.

Hope this helps. There's a huge rabbit hole to jump in the deeper you get with rye. It starts to get stupid expensive too. It's hard to beat a hyper aged rye but it's become increasing expensive to even get a taste. Enjoy the entry level stuff and expand your horizon if you find you like it.

I'd start with Pikesville, Old Forester, and Bulleit. All three are good enough to enjoy neat and work well in cocktails.

I like Bulleit Rye as my go to.

Sometimes, I’ll spend a little extra and get Templeton.

I usually drink it on the rocks or maybe with some water, but on occasion, we use it to make cocktails.

My preference is Whistlepig.

Pikesville Rye - delightful. Nice, balanced and Smooth. This is what I serve when I want to impress someone else or myself.

Michter’s Rye - a low rye Rye with a nose closer to bourbon that makes a wonderful, and my favorite, Old Fashioned.

Elijah Craig has a rye out currently that may not be available yet in your area but it is an amazing value. I got a bottle last fall but it didn’t officially launch until December or so.

I don't know if they sell it outside of Texas, but I love Red River rye. And I really don't like the Whistlepig I've had, but they have a lot of bottlings.

I might have to try a few more because everything I have tried has a "hot" taste to me. Kinda like a cheaper bourbon.

This

Also Templeton

For higher end (closer to $80-$90 per bottle) I like Angels Envy and Whistle Pig

Wife and I love Basil Hayden Dark Rye...IIRC about $45 a bottle...

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Bulleit makes a good rye.

Wild turkey 101 if u can find it. Not the 86 proof stuff.

Rittenhouse rye for 20 bucks.

Old grand Dad 114. Its not a rye but it is a high rye recipe for a bourbon.

Sazerac. Willett.

Basil Hayden’s dark rye is great. As is Bulleit and Knob Creek. I also like the assorted Redemption and Whistlepig Rye offerings

Bulleit is my everyday pick. It’s affordable and a solid choice.

I also agree with the above advice though to pick your first rye based on your favorite Bourbon. Rye whiskey has gotten very popular in the last few years and most bourbon makers also have a rye.