Rye whiskey was the most explosive category in whiskey for 2022. Some truly great expressions dropped, highlighting the beauty of the whiskeys from Canada and across the U.S., superb blending, and big swings/risks in flavor profiles that paid off. All of this is to say that our Best Rye Whiskeys of 2022 list comes with no shortage of excitement on our side!
For this year’s list, I’m pulling in rye whiskeys made in the U.S. and Canada. Some of those Canadian whiskeys were bottled under U.S. labels, while others were not. There are still a lot of barrels traveling across that border, so there was no point in excluding the juice coming out of Manitoba, Ontario, Alberta, and beyond. Besides, there were some standout ryes from Canada this year and they deserve love. Beyond that, we’re looking at ryes from mostly Kentucky and Indiana with great craft whiskeys and blends popping up from all over.
When it comes to the ranking, this is based on taste alone. I can’t know what you can afford or find wherever you might be reading this. This is based on my professional opinion as a full-time whiskey writer, judge, host, and consultant on barrel picks. I’m deep in the industry and am lucky enough to have tasted around 1,500 whiskeys this year alone. It’s a nonstop job that gives me a lot of access to some great brown sauce so let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top Five Rye Whiskey from the Last Six Months on UPROXX
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- The Best Bourbons And Ryes From The 2022 American Whiskey Masters Awards
- The Absolute Best Whiskeys We Tasted At This Year’s Bourbon & Beyond Festival
50. Bradshaw Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 51.9%
Average Price: $44
The Whiskey:
Terry Bradshaw’s new rye is a compliment to his new bourbon. The juice is made at the Green River Distilling Company (now part of Bardstown Bourbon Company) from an undisclosed mash bill. That whiskey ages for a mere two years before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with soft leather and Dr. Pepper spices next to plenty of vanilla and a deep sense of burnt popcorn (that’s slightly rough). The palate is oaky put white peach and brown sugar cut through it with a sense of subtle winter spices and mild peppercorns. The end mixes soft vanilla with old oak as a butter toffee and spiced cherry tobacco finishes things off on the senses.
Bottom Line:
This is a classic-feeling rye that’s quiet at first sip and then grows on you over time, becoming an endearing rye whiskey for sipping and mixing.
49. Rabbit Hole Boxergrail Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 47.5%
Average Price: $53
The Whiskey:
This crafty distillery makes its rye with 95% rye and malted barley right in Louisville (and via contract distilling). The 95/5 rye hot juice is aged for three years in heavily toasted and charred barrels before vatting, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This has an interesting nose that’s park spicy pork stew (chili, umami, fat) with bright peaches, vanilla, and summer wildflowers. The palate has a hint of old cedar next to cream soda, white pepper, and crusty rye bread with a hint of caraway. The finish brings in heavily spiced chewy tobacco packed into an old cedar box with creamy vanilla and a dash more of that powdery white pepper.
Bottom Line:
Rabbit Hole’s rye has the ability to build complex flavors without overpowering any single part, creating a deeply satisfying pour.
48. Still Austin “The Artist” Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 49.8%
Average Price: $50
The Whiskey:
This Austin whiskey is made with 100% Texas rye. The juice is loaded into the barrel at a lower proof and the “slow watered” throughout the aging process so that the whiskey comes out of the barrel already proofed and ready for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with Wether’s Original candies still in the wrappers next to dark cherry, fig jam, a whisper of espresso bean bitterness, and a touch of orange rind studded with cloves. The taste has a fruity saltwater taffy vibe next to vanilla, dried apricot, a touch of ginger candy, and some dark caramel. The end leans into woody spices — cinnamon, cloves, and some soft nutmeg — next to burnt orange and sweet caramel tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a great example of craft and ingenuity colliding to create a fresh rye whiskey that’s sure to be a mainstay on your bar cart.
47. Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Tokaji Wine Casks Batch #57
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $85
The Whiskey:
This whiskey from Penelope really leans into the specialty cask finish. The base is a six-year-old MGP 95% rye. Those barrels are shipped out to Penelope and they re-barrel that whiskey into Hungarian Tokaji barrels (a sweet dessert wine) for a final rest. Once the whiskey hits the right spot, the barrels are blended and bottled with a touch of proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of mild citrus oils on the nose next to tart green apples, rose water, plenty of sharp cinnamon, and a touch of soft brown sugar. The palate leans into oatbread and prune jam with a hint of blackberry and fig lurking there somewhere. Those fruits drive the end with a sweet tartness that’s countered by mild winter spices, orange rinds, a touch of anise, and soft vanilla toffee.
Bottom Line:
Tokaji wine cask finishes and rye whiskey are perfect companions in this wonderful whiskey from Indiana.
46. Frey Ranch Single Barrel Rye Barrel Strength Barrel # 260
ABV: 68.73%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This version of Frey Ranch is the farm and distillery in a single bottle. The juice is made with 100% Winter Cereal Rye grown on the ranch by Colby Frey, who also oversees harvesting and processing the grain for mashing. After several years of aging, single barrels of rye are chosen for these releases and they’re bottled without any fussing whatsoever.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a light sense of old orchard wood and dead leaves (that might just be my open window) with a twinge of potpourris, dried Italian seasoning, and a hint of strawberry soda. The palate leans into the sweet red berry vibe with a nice mix of spiced holiday cake, old leather, moist marzipan, and even some dried fig. The end gets warm a little woody with almond shells, singed apple wood (and maybe hickory?), a touch of root beer, and more of that old leather.
Bottom Line:
Frey Ranch’s grain-to-glass experience shines brightly in this expertly hewn expression from the Nevada shingle.
45. Middle West Spirits Straight Rye Whiskey Dark Pumpernickel Cask Strength Barrel No. 0968
ABV: 64.7%
Average Price: $47
The Whiskey:
This Ohio whiskey is made with dark pumpernickel rye, Ohio soft red winter wheat, yellow corn, and 2-Row barley malts. The juice is then aged for three years in new white oak before it’s bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of slight sourdough rye funk on the nose with a hint of pumpkin seed, caraway, sweet cinnamon, vanilla husks, and a whisper of candied ginger. The palate leans into that sour funk and caraway as oolong tea, piney honey, and spicy, raisin-filled oatmeal cookies vibe. The mid-palate kicks in hard with the heat as sharp cinnamon and chili dominate until a soft sense of vanilla, toffee, and dark fruit leather try to calm things down on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This Ohio whiskey is funkadelic, fun, and fresh while delivering a truly deep and murky rye profile.
44. Leopold Bros Single Barrel Three Chamber Rye Whiskey 2022 Release
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $249
The Whiskey:
The latest release of Leopold Bros.’s famed Three Chamber rye is a stellar single barrel release made in a bespoke still designed by Todd Leopold specifically to make this whiskey. The 2022 release is made with Abruzzi rye and sourced from the best five-year-old barrels in the warehouse, according to Todd Leopold’s master-level palate. Once a single barrel is selected, the whiskey is then slightly touched with water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a crafty sense of rich grain porridge cut with maple syrup and rum-raisin next to creamy Nutella and salted peanut shells. The taste is luxurious and opens with a molasses-filled bran muffin crafty vibe that then leads to a deep bench of flavor notes that build: Apple cider, Cherry Coke, cloves, allspice, creamy eggnog, black licorice, cinnamon candies, nasturtiums, and apple-candy tobacco on the very end.
Bottom Line:
Todd Leopold is the soft-spoken genius of 21st-century fermenting and distilling (and malting) and this bottle is one of his many masterpieces.
43. Guero Rye Whiskey Aged 6 Years Finished in Cognac Barrels
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $108
The Whiskey:
This Tennessee whiskey is sent out to Savage & Cooke in Northern Cali for a final rest. The juice is a 51% rye that’s cut with 45% corn and 4% malted barley in the mash. After several years of resting, the whiskey is re-barreled into Fine Champagne cognac casks for a final rest. Once ready, the barrels are batched and the whiskey is proofed down with local spring water from the Alexander Valley.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a sense of Swedish Fish next to orange marmalade on scones with a touch of rum-raisin, walnuts, and winter spices rolled into soft tobacco. The palate layers pine-y honey with salted caramel, oatmeal cookies with walnuts, raisins, and plenty of cinnamon and vanilla next to a hint of Cherry Coke. The end fades through woody cinnamon sticks and old star anise as apple-cinnamon tobacco folds in with dry sweetgrass and old cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is a great example of Savage & Cooke’s ability to always push the boundaries of whiskey styles while delivering something truly luscious.
42. Redemption Sur Lee Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $55
The Whisky:
This new whiskey from Redemption is going deep on drawing out flavors from the spirit and wood by utilizing the “wine lees” method. Very basically, when MGP is contract distilling Redemption’s 95% rye, they take the backset or “whiskey lees” that usually would be redistilled and instead put that into the barrel to activate the wood before the heart cut of rye distillate goes into the barrel for its aging period. The barrels are then rolled and rotated throughout that aging spell before vatting, non-chill filtering, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose has a sense of bitter orange next to pecan and walnut shells with hints of dried apricot, dried apple chip, and floral honey. The palate leans into the nuttiness with a sense of pecan waffle cooked in butter next to eggnog lattes and singed marshmallows with a hint of caraway rye bread crusts and a hint of fennel. The end is lush with a hint of apple pie in a lard crust next to salted popcorn with a dash of brown butter before a woody sense of dried figs and old cedar leads to a whisper of cinnamon-orange on the finish.
Bottom Line:
Redemption remains one of the most interesting blenders today, thanks to a chef-driven ethos behind the barrels that exalts flavor about all else.
41. Old Ezra Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 7 Years
ABV: 57%
Average Price: $89
The Whiskey:
This brand-new rye whiskey from Old Ezra, which usually focuses on bourbons, is a seven-year-old rye blend. The whiskey is a batch of barrels from a 51% rye whiskey and a classic 95% rye that aged for seven long years before bottling at full proof with charcoal filtration.
Tasting Notes:
Hints of old leather and burnt citrus drive the nose toward fresh honey and vanilla cake with a hint of old oak and cellar funk. The palate leans into the soft vanilla with a dash of burnt orange and leathery spice before some ABVs start buzzing on the tongue. The end has a nice layer of orange and clove tobacco with a hint of old oak and vanilla honey cookies.
Bottom Line:
This feels like a new classic rye whiskey with a lightness that draws you into a broad flavor profile.
40. Lot 40 Dark Oak 100% Rye
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $53
The Whiskey:
This version of Lot No. 40 is made from 100% Canadian rye grains. It’s twice distilled and then rests in low-char American oak for a few years. Before it’s blended, the whiskey is re-barreled into heavily-charred oak for a final rest. Once it hits just the right spot, it’s batched, lightly proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a complex nose full of dried sweetgrass, cinnamon toast, clove-studded orange skins, rich salted caramel, and vanilla beans soaked in cherry liqueur. The palate leans into a fatty dark chocolate fudge with spiced apple cider, sweet and rich cherry syrup, apple fritters with a powdered sugar frosting, and a hint of vanilla tobacco with a woody edge. The finish layers some dark cherry syrup into that vanilla tobacco and adds a mild spiciness thanks to the cinnamon and orange.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best examples of accessible Canadian rye that goes a little deeper and finds new depths to highlight in the style.
39. BLACKENED Rye The Lightning Kentucky Straight Rye Double Cask Finished in Madeira and Rum Casks
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $92
The Whiskey:
This whiskey from Metallica and Master Distiller and Blender Rob Dietrich is made from barrels Dietrich picked himself. Those barrels were between five and eight years old when they were batched and then re-filled into rum and Madeira barrels and blasted with music for a final maturation. The final result is made from a blending of those barrels with a touch of water to bring it down to proof.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a soft layer of prunes and dates with a hint of tart berry next to suede, pine resin, and an echo of dry straw. The palate is part black pepper and part leathery prunes with a creamy vanilla underbelly and more of those dark berries. The end comes with more layers of ground almonds, old cinnamon sticks, minty honey, and a touch of raw sugar sweetness with a lush finish.
Bottom Line:
BLACKENED continues to dominate with inventive and delicious releases like this one.
38. FEW Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled In Bond
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
This brand-new rye from Illinois’ FEW Spirits is a follow-up to last year’s Bottled in Bond Bourbon from the brand. The whiskey is made from a mash of 70% rye, 20% corn, and 10% malted barley. That hot juice is then mellowed in both standard 53-gallon barrels and smaller 30-gallon barrels for about four years before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a mix of salted black licorice, cherry root beer, and mint chocolate chip next to old porch wicker and boot leather. The palate has a nice balance of cinnamon candy with dark milk chocolate just kissed with dried chili flakes and woody allspice before a hint of black cherry tobacco kicks in. That tobacco vibe continues on the finish as the allspice, sweet cinnamon, and cherry counter a slight sense of whole black peppercorns.
Bottom Line:
This is a high water mark for the Illinois craft distillery and the region in general.
37. Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Straight Tennessee Rye Whiskey Finished in High Toast Maple Barrels
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $42 (375ml bottle)
The Whiskey:
The whiskey is created with a mash of 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley. After sugar maple charcoal filtration, that rye is aged for four years in new oak before going into a high-toast, no-char maple wood barrel for another year of rest. Finally, the whiskey is batched from those maple barrels and proofed down for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Sweet notes of rum-raisin, creamed honey, walnut-laden banana bread, sweet cinnamon, fresh nutmeg, brown butter, and sticky maple syrup mingle on the nose with a whisper of sour mash and pine bark. The palate dances through notes of cherry hand pies covered in powdered sugar icing next to dark chocolate and pecan nut clusters with a hint of vanilla seeds, poppy seed pound cake, and a little fresh wood paneling next to fresh leather and a hint of salted caramel ice cream in a waffle cone. The end is super soft and slowly meanders through the poppy seed pound cake, vanilla, and soft and very subtle threads of cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
Jack Daniel’s is kind of low-key one of the best rye producers in the country and this bottle helps to prove that.
36. Templeton Rye Stout Cask Finish
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
This year’s brand-new Stout Cask Finish from Templeton out in Iowa is a classic 95/5 rye/malted barley whiskey. Those barrels are vatted and re-barreled into chocolate coffee stout casks for an additional three months before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a mix of cherry candy and dried chili pepper on the nose next to a hint of creamy dark chocolate and maybe a hint of marmalade and dried apricot. The palate has a lushness that’s accentuated by chocolate-dipped black cherry next to Amaretto-spiked mocha lattes and a hint of dark red chili next to old vanilla pods. The end leans into the bitter espresso with a dark chocolate vibe countered by vanilla tobacco, rum raisin, dried figs, and a hint of winter spice.
Bottom Line:
Iowa’s Templeton Rye hit a home run with this chocolatey, spicy, and dark rye with real depth.
35. Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye Whiskey Cask Strength
ABV: 58.2%
Average Price: $70
The Whiskey:
This brand-new whiskey from cult-favorite Redwood Empire out in Sonoma, California, takes their tried and true method of blending California, Indiana, and Kentucky whiskeys to the next level. The blend ended up being a lightly wheated rye with a mash bill of 94% rye, 5% malted barley, and a mere 1% wheat. The barrels were all a minimum of four years old (with some reaching past six years) when batched and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a soft leatheriness that’s embued with dry chamomile tea, burnt orange, dark cherry bark, and old cinnamon sticks that spent too much time in mulled wine with a hint of sour cherry and tart apple. The palate amps up the tea leaf vibe with lush Earl Grey next to dark chocolate-covered espresso beans flaked with salt and maybe some dried nasturtiums that build out the spices toward a spiced winter cake. Those baked winter spices lead back to a soft creamy espresso dusted with nutmeg and dark chocolate powder and layered into a spiced tobacco leaf rolled with cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
Redwood Empire’s new Cask Strength line hit a high mark with this delectable and bold rye whiskey.
34. Pinhook 2022 High Proof Rye
ABV: 58.2%
Average Price: $45
The Whiskey:
Sourced from Castle & Key (a true whiskey nerd’s haven), this whiskey was made from a unique mash bill. The juice is derived from a mash of 60% rye, 20% corn, and 20% malted barley. Once distilled, that whiskey rests for at least four years before it was batched and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a soft sense of orange blossom and floral honey on the nose with a tart green apple skin vibe next to cinnamon, clove, and allspice, a touch of nuttiness, and some caramel sweetness. The palate leans into sticky toffee pudding with black-tea-soaked dates, cinnamon and nutmeg, and salted caramel with a hint of orange zest, walnut clusters, and light chili pepper spiciness. The end has a slight woody chili spice that leads back to the salted caramel and a light sense of walnut cake cut with plums.
Bottom Line:
Pinhook always nails it with these high-proof releases and this year’s drop is more proof of that.
33. Journeyman Distillery Last Feather Rye Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $52
The Whiskey:
This Michigan whiskey is another rye outlier. The mash is made from 60% rye and 40% wheat, making this one of the only high-wheat ryes on the market.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a rich caramelized sense of grains and toffee on the nose next to vanilla cake with orange frosting and dusted with nutmeg and cinnamon. The palate is lush with a sense of marzipan dipped in dark chocolate with touches of vanilla, orange, and rose oils next to woody cinnamon bark and apple cores. The end has a hint of vanilla tobacco next to toffee covered in almonds with a dash more cinnamon leading to cloves and sweetgrass.
Bottom Line:
This is big and bold and deep and fun — a true one-of-a-kind whiskey.
32. Laws San Luis Valley Straight Rye Bottled-In-Bond 7-Year
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $85
The Whiskey:
This grain-to-glass distillery from out in Denver, Colorado is a classic 95/5 rye/malted barley mash. The whiskey is left alone in the high elevations for seven years to mellow in oak before it’s batched, proofed down to 100-proof, and otherwise bottles as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This pops with cherry Dr. Pepper on the nose next to dried black currants sipped in honey and dark chocolate dusted with a whisper of clove and anise. The palate has a slight savory fruitiness kind of like honeydew or green mango next to menthol tobacco, Nutella, and black licorice. The end arrives with a dry herbs vibe next to more menthol dipped in salted dark chocolate and cut with anise heavy mulled wine with a fleeting sense of cedar and smudging sage.
Bottom Line:
This goes places that’ll make you fall in love with how diverse, fresh, and brazen rye whiskey can be.
31. Angel’s Envy Ice Cider Cask Finish Rye
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $900
The Whiskey:
This rye is an outlier thanks to a very unique finish. The juice is standard, contract-distilled 95% rye that spent seven years in the barrel. That whiskey was then transferred into ice cider casks (from Eden Specialty Ciders in Vermont) where it rested for another 364 days. The ice cider casks, which held a dessert hard cider with a lot of sweetness built into the French oak, are then emptied and the whiskey is bottled with a touch of water as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a gentle note of what feels like cold leather layered on dry straw, sour candies, and a distant hint of pine boxes full of apple tobacco. The taste opens with a hint of wet wicker next to freshly presses apple cider that feels hazy and a chewy apple tree bark. The mid-palate veers away from the apple toward vanilla candies with a little chew to them, soft winter spice (think nutmeg and clove), and a whisper of quince jam on a buttery brioche.
Bottom Line:
There’s some serious nuance at play with this elite bottle of Angel’s Envy.
30. Chicken Cock Cotton Club Rye Whiskey Aged 20 Years
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $616
The Whiskey:
The whiskey in this bottle is made with a 90% rye and 10% malted barley mash bill, which is a standard you see with other big-name Canadian brands (cough, cough, Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye, cough, cough). In this case, that hot juice was left to mellow in ex-bourbon barrels for 20 long years somewhere in Canada (cough, cough, Manitoba, cough, cough). The barrels are then vatted and proofed down to 100 proof before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Green and wet grass mingle with a stack of pine firewood on the nose as a pink bubble gum sweetness leads to a vanilla-heavy cream soda with a whiff of Orange Julius. The palate leans into the orange with a zesty vibe as a lemon meringue pie tartness and creaminess kicks in next to dried ginger, floral honey, and a sweet pine resin. The mid-palate really leans into the honey while adding in candied orange peels with a hint of allspice and anise leading toward a dry white pepper and old cinnamon sticks soaked in tart apple cider before a final rush of old cellar beams and dry black soil round out the end.
The Bottle:
This is a great example of Canadian Rye making its way to Kentucky to become a dyed-in-the-wool instant classic.
29. Four Gate Whiskey Company Batch 7 “River Kelvin Rye”
ABV: 56.6%
Average Price: $175
The Whiskey:
Four Gate is one of those brands that whiskey nerds will rave about while the rest of the whiskey-drinking world remains in the dark. This expression is a seven-year-old MGP 95 that’s bottled as-is from the barrels. This is on purpose, as Kelvin’s team plans to release this rye again with two different finishings throughout the rest of 2022, making this expression a launching pad.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a hint of lemon custard and orange oils that leads toward dried mint leaves and a bit of dill on the back end of the nose. The palate lets that orange shine as soft notes of vanilla smooth everything out and makes way for freshly cracked black pepper and candied lemon rinds with a hint of a cigar humidor. The pepper and vanilla work in tandem to bring about a finish that’s very bright with more lemon candy bespeckled with black pepper and a spicy tobacco vibe.
Bottom Line:
The elite worlds of Kelvin Cooperage and Four Gate blending collide in this quintessential pour of MGP rye.
28. Alberta Premium 2022 Limited Edition Cask Strength Rye
ABV: 63.5%
Average Price: $85
The Whisky:
This year’s Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye is made exclusively with classic Canadian Prairie rye grains grown locally in Alberta. Glacial spring water from the Rocky Mountains is in the mix as well as new white oak barrel aging. Once those barrels hit just the right spot, they’re batched and bottled with no proofing at all.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a bold sense of buttery and dark toffee on the nose with rich and oily vanilla pods, dark blackberry jam, mulled wine spices (star anise, allspice, clove, cinnamon), brandy-soaked raisins and dates, dry Earl Grey tea leaves, and a hint of dark cacao nibs. The palate builds on that with tart black currants dipped in salted dark chocolate next to a hint of espresso cream, and caraway-encrusted sourdough rye bread (the real stuff from Central Europe, not the bullshit rye you get in the Americas) that leads to a huge cinnamon spiciness on the mid-palate. The end rounds off that cinnamon Hot Tamale spiciness with a sweet sense of vanilla white cake bespeckled with dried cranberries and shredded blackberry tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This yearly limited release always delivers great depth and fun on the palate.
27. Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye
ABV: 57.5%
Average Price: $50
The Whiskey:
This is Knob Creek’s famed rye whiskey in a single-barrel format. Those barrels are usually barreled at cask strength or cut down to a consistent 115 proof. In this case, we’re looking at a barrel pick by The Ballard Cut for their bar.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is full of green herbs like dill and mint next to a dollop of floral honey and plenty of barrel char. A hint of rye bread crust sneaks in early on the palate before black pepper gives way to dried chili pods, a hint of vanilla pudding with cinnamon, and dark cherries. The barrel builds with the spices on the finish before dark chocolate powder, candied pecans, and creamy vanilla smooth everything out for a soft finish.
Bottom Line:
Knob Creek’s rye in a single barrel format is the true essence of the Beam rye whiskey that delivers on every level.
26. High West A Midwinter Nights Dram
ABV: 49.3%
Average Price: $140
The Whiskey:
Each year, this limited drop varies slightly. This release was a mix of MGP rye (95% rye) and High West rye (100% 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 is a pretty complex nose with sour berries next to dried apricot, woody and slightly sweet cinnamon, French toast, and a mild note of something umami (dried mushrooms perhaps). The palate gets more savory with a rhubarb vibe as dark chocolate with a serious woody spiced edge meets old leather laced with years of tobacco, lush vanilla cream, and salted caramel. The end is as silky as eggnog with a whisper of black tea bitterness and minty tobacco rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
High West’s A Midwinter Nights Dram is hotly anticipated every year and this version lived up to the hype and then some.
25. Pursuit United Blended Straight Rye Whiskey 2022 Batch
ABV: 54%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
This release is a blend of whiskeys from Kentucky and Maryland. The Kentucky rye is from Bardstown Bourbon Company (a 95% rye), which is contract distilling and aging whiskey for Pursuit United. The other rye (and the biggest component) is from Maryland’s famed and beloved Sagamore Spirits and is a 52% rye. Over four-year-old barrels from each warehouse were masterfully married to create this expression with a touch of water to bring the proof down a notch.
Tasting Notes:
Caramel with a dark feel to it mixes with a hint of green chili, cumin, and brown sugar with an edge of sour orange and old leather. The palate leans into soft and creamy vanilla with rye spiciness that feels more wintery than peppery next to sweet cherry syrup, vanilla candies, and old porch wicker. The end maintains the sweet spice with a good mix of vanilla, sour cherry, and brown sugar sweetness to counter the soft spices.
Bottom Line:
The team behind Pursuit United upped the ante in 2022 with this superb blend of rye whiskeys.
24. Smooth Ambler Founders’ Cask Strength Series Rye Aged 5 Years Batch Two
ABV: 61.6%
Average Price: $54
The Whiskey:
This 100% West Virginia whiskey is made from a mash of 88% rye and 12% malted barley — no corn needed here, folks. The barrels are left to age in the Appalachia hills for five long years before coming together in tiny batches and bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a hint of leather and pine tar on the nose with a hint of tart red berry and burnt toffee. The palate opens with a bourbon vibe with dark cherry, soft vanilla cream, and light old oak staves with a hint of bitter dark cacao. The end leans into cinnamon bark and clove layered into a vanilla tobacco leaf that’s braided with wet cedar, dry leather, and old bouquet garni with a light sense of an old cheese cellar lurking on the very backend.
Bottom Line:
This is a great example of the good work happening in West Virginia right now.
23. Jefferson’s Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks Barrel no. 57
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
This release from Jefferson’s leans on masterfully selected barrel picks. The sourced whiskey is picked from single barrels of cognac-finished rye whiskey and bottled with a touch of proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
Soft old leather and meaty raisins with a good dose of sharp cinnamon cut with floral and fresh honey with a mild creaminess. The palate is plummy and full of lush vanilla with a plum pudding vibe next to a hint of orange studded with cloves while soft nutmeg smoothes everything out. The end brings the fresh honey back and laces it with rich and almost burnt orange oils next to a mix of old cedar bark and dry cinnamon wrapped in dry tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Jefferson’s remains one of the best blenders working in the game today and this bottle is an instant classic.
22. Cascade Moon 13-Year-Old Rye Whisky
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $540
The Whiskey:
This whiskey dropped at the very end of December 2021. The whiskey in the barrel is rye whiskey that spent 13 years chilling in the cool Cascade Hollow warehouses in Tennessee. The barrels were then hand-selected by Cascade Hollow’s general manager and distiller Nicole Austin for their perfection. They were then proofed down only just to 100 proof and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is incredibly fresh with bursts of green apple, freshly cut sweet grass, citrus oils, roses, and fresh cinnamon sticks. The palate leans into the green apple with a tart edge as the spices kick up a wintry vibe before a savory note arrives with a hint of dill, anise, and maybe some rosemary. On the mid-palate, the citrus comes back with a bright orange and grapefruit touch that turns into wet black peppercorns, white moss, and an echo of dried green tea leaves. The finish lets that green tea vibe settles into the earthiness and savory herbs as the sip slowly fades out, leaving you with a whisper of dried wicker deck furniture.
Bottom Line:
This was one of the best under-the-radar whiskeys of the year and a fabulous rye from Tennessee.
21. Woodinville Straight 100% Rye Whiskey Finished in Port Casks
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $70
The Whiskey:
Following in the footsteps of Woodinville’s beloved Port Cask Finished Bourbon, this year’s Woodinville 2022 Harvest Season selection is a 100% Washington rye whiskey finish in Ruby Port Casks for four months of additional mellowing. Finally, those barrels are batched, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a spiced plum jam feel to the nose with a hint of dried nasturtiums and a dash of old boot leather and dry cedar bark. The palate dips some dried sour cherries into salted dark chocolate with a hint of rye bread crusts just kissed with caraway and fennel leading to a mild line of apple cores and stems. The end has a soft mix of vanilla fruit cake with plenty of cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon next to raisins, dates, and prunes with a hint of chili pepper warmth.
Bottom Line:
Woodinville continually makes wonderfully finished rye whiskeys out in Washington and this bottle sets the bar ever higher for the brand.
20. Lost Lantern Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Straight Rye Finished in Vermouth Casks
ABV: 60%
Average Price: $110
The Whiskey:
This Pennsylvania rye from Mountain Laurel Spirits takes Dad’s Hat’s 80% rye and ages it for four years. Then the whiskey is re-barreled into vermouth casks for an additional five months of mellowing before Lost Lantern got their hands on that one barrel and bottled it as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this goes deep with hints of fresh apricot next to suede, wet grains, and a subtle dill that leads to a rye bread fennel. The palate mixes orange oils with dark holiday spices — clove, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon — with a slightly woody edge that leads to a deep sense of red peppercorns with a robust heat. The end lets those sharp peppercorns dance with the woodier spices as soft vanilla cream and fresh-cut grass counter each other on the finish.
Bottom Line:
Lost Lantern released some seriously unique single barrels this year but this Dad’s Hat rye was next level.
19. Stellum Rye The Lone Cypress
ABV: 57.67%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
Named for one of the world’s most famous trees, this whiskey is all about finding the funky forest in the flavor profile of a brand-new rye whiskey. The blend was created by the awesome team at Barrell Craft Spirits to accentuate woodier notes before it was bottled at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a light pine resin vibe on the nose with a bushel of dried savory green herbs — think sage, thyme, rosemary, tarragon — next to old leather and dried sour cherries tossed in kosher salt. The palate has a note of that pine with a soft orange rind next to a spiced winter cake with dried fruit, walnuts, and wintry spices. The end is slightly warm thanks to high ABVs with a sense of those salted cherries and pine resin leading to a dry finish.
Bottom Line:
Stellum Rye is always fire but this late 2022 release took the brand to the next level with a subtle and delicious whiskey.
18. Lock Stock & Barrel 21
ABV: 55.5%
Average Price: $490
The Whisky:
This rye is made from that magical Canadian 100% rye mash bill. The juice went into the barrel back in May of 1999 and was left alone in the cold north for over two decades before Lock Stock & Barrel blended and bottled this without any fussing.
Tasting Notes:
The nose balances old cellar oak against a spicy sticky toffee pudding, candied cherry, burnt orange rinds, and marzipan. The palate has a hint of tannic bitterness — this is old — next to vanilla sheet cake topped with orange zest frosting. There’s a sense of butterscotch and Almond Joy on the mid-palate that leads to a finish full of silky molasses, woody winter spices, and tobacco leaf layered with brandy butter and burnt orange and wrapped up in old leather and cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
20-year-old Canadian rye had a big moment in 2022 and this bottle is a big reason why — it’s truly a great whiskey.
17. New Riff 100% Malted Rye Bottled In Bond Aged 6 Years
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $190
The Whiskey:
This whiskey from New Riff is a whiskey lover’s dream pour. The mash is made from 100% malted rye (most rye that is used for whiskey is unmalted). That means more sugars are available in the grain as it goes through germination and then heating to stop that process, which helps create a lot of sugars. Anyway, the juice then rests for six years in new oak before the barrels are blended, proofed down, and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a hint of figs and dates on the nose that lead to a spiced Christmas cake covered in powdered sugar frosting with plenty of candied citruses, dried dark fruits, and roasted nuts next to vanilla pudding and dried pear skins. The taste has a hint of orange saltwater taffy on the front that leads to a mix of clove, allspice, and sassafras as dark fruit leather and white peppercorns pop. The end is lush and mellow with a hint of that pepper next to dark dried fruit layered into a tobacco leaf alongside cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and dark orange oils.
Bottom Line:
New Riff released a lot of experimental and classic ryes this year, but this one was the most arresting of the bunch thanks to that killer flavor profile.
16. Sweet Oak & Honey Peerless Single Barrel Rye
ABV: 54.6%
Average Price: $124
The Whiskey:
Kentucky Peerless knows how to make a great rye whiskey. Their sweet mash (a new batch every time with no leftover fermented grains like a sour mash) brings a deep consistency that helps the distillate shine that little bit brighter after sitting in barrels in Kentucky. In this case, single barrels were chosen that highlighted a sweet oak and honey flavor profile naturally thanks to the overall process. The barrel was then bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Floral honey with a hint of pine resin drives the nose toward a light sense of nuttiness and old wicker with a hint of spicy mint. The palate leans into sweet woods with a cacao nib/vanilla husk/honeycomb vibe next to roasting herbs and burnt orange with a whisper of salted caramel over apple bark. The end has a spiced apple cider element that leads to singed sage and dark molasses with a pinch of salt, anise, and honey-crusted walnut.
Bottom Line:
Deep honey and wood notes drive this unique rye to new places for the style, making this another big win for Peerless.
15. JR Hughes Bros. Belle Of Bedford Straight Rye Whiskey Jack Rose 2022 “Kind of a Big Dill”
ABV: 55.435%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This rye whiskey is sourced from MGP of Indiana and bottled by JR Hughes Bros. in Pennsylvania. The juice is a 95% rye and 5% malted barley mash that then ages for over eight years. The crew at Jack Rose picked a single barrel from the JR Hughes Bros. stash for as-is barreling at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Fennel and a hint of caraway-crusted rye bread lead on the nose with a hint of salted black licorice next to sour dried cranberry, burnt orange peels, and a whisper of grilled pineapple with a drizzle of mint-infused honey. The palate leans into the herbal vibe with a mix of rosemary and thyme next to more fennel and a hint of flat leaf parsley before dried blueberries and tart salted cherries arrive with a vanilla oil underbelly and a smidge of singed cedar bark. The end hits that black licorice again with a whisper of sasparilla wood chips, papaya skins, and some dry oolong tea bags.
Bottom Line:
This is the funky rye that you’ll either love or hate — it’s weird, full of bold flavor notes, and absolutely delightful.
14. Uncle Nearest Rye Cask Strength
ABV: 59.8%
Average Price: $149
The Whiskey:
This new whiskey from the multi-award-winning Master Blender, Victoria Eady-Butler, is a true traveling whiskey. The juice is made up in Canada with 100% locally grown rye, according to American straight rye whiskey specifications. That whiskey is then sent to New York where it is barreled and aged for at least four years. Finally, Eady-Butler steps in and selects the honey barrels and ships them to Tennessee where she blends this whiskey and bottles it as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a hint of fresh sourdough rye bread (the good real stuff you still get in Central Europe) next to a hint of fennel and almost woody black currants with a touch of soft cardamon. The palate leans toward dry wicker and fresh green herbs with a snap of spiciness (almost chive) next to woody cinnamon and allspice berries with a hint of spicy orange chocolate. There’s a hint of salt on the backend with a wonderfully layered dry cedar bark, herbal tobacco note, and a touch of dried nasturtium that ultimately leads to a silky vanilla/cinnamon finish.
Bottom Line:
Uncle Nearest’s new ryes hit a sweet spot with his bold and exquisite Canadian whiskey filtered through New York aging and Tennessee blending.
13. Sagamore Spirit Rye Barrel Select Aged 7 Years Creator’s Cask 2022 Barrel 158
ABV: 55%
Average Price: $70
The Whiskey:
This is a brand new line from Sagamore Spirit out in Maryland. The very first Creator’s Cask is a blend of a high-rye whiskey single barrel selected by social media whiskey influencers WhiskyNomad, TheBrewBrotha, TheEducatedBarFly, and ThatOneDudeRyan that’s batched lower-rye whiskey to create this one-of-a-kind whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
This nose is outstanding with a sense of dark and spicy fruit cake full of dried figs, dates, and prunes next to cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove with a dash of candied citrus and tart blackcurrant with this whisper of fresh dill and mint lurking in the background with a spiced apple cider vibe. The palate has a pecan waffle and maple syrup feel next to black tea and malted chocolate shakes with a hint of rye bread crust, caraway, and vanilla beans. The end leans into the fruit cake spices with a woody edge before rum-raisin, spice apple tobacco, and old cedar boards round things out.
Bottom Line:
The whiskey influencers have arrived with this dazzling version of Sagamore Spirit Rye.
12. Starlight Distillery Single Barrel Huber’s Old Rickhouse Rye Whiskey Finished in Tokaji Barrels Barrel no. 22-2040-1
ABV: 51.5%
Average Price: $79
The Whiskey:
This Indiana rye from Huber Winery’s Starlight Distillery is an instant classic. The juice is made from Starlight’s 85% and 15% malted barley rye mash. It’s then aged for at least four years before moving into a Hungarian Tokaji barrel for a final rest. The whiskey is then picked one barrel at a time and just proofed before single-barrel bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Old wicker canes and cardamon pods lead to nutmeg, golden sultanas, date skins and pits, and a whisper of fresh red chili on the nose. The palate lays down a lush vanilla foundation and builds layers of soft winter spices, quince jelly, allspice berries, and apricot skins with a whisper of dry cedar bark and waxy cacao nibs. The end lets the vanilla soften everything toward soft and lush raisins with a hint of nutshell and stonefruit in the background of the silken finish.
Bottom Line:
This amazingly well-finished rye is a touchstone for Starlight Distillery’s deep love of creating deeply engaging, unique, and delectable whiskeys.
11. Blue Run Emerald Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Winter Batch
ABV: 58.35%
Average Price: $110
The Whiskey:
The latest release from Blue Run is their second rye release, Emerald Rye. The whiskey is contract distilled at Castle & Key in Frankfort, Kentucky. The limited run yielded only 189 barrels that were expertly blended and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Woody winter spices — clove, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon — lead on the nose with a hint of creamy toffee and vanilla cake that’s countered by chili spices and a pinch of cumin, almost like a garam masala. The palate has a thick buttery caramel sweetness with a sharp chili pepper fresh spiciness next to stewed apples and pears with sultanas, woody winter spice, and cut with a hint of clove brandy. The end has a leathery vibe with a buttery apple crumble tobacco vibe with a hint of old cedar bark and spiced barks rolled up with burnt orange and dried tart cherry.
Bottom Line:
Blue Run has the ability to create some iconic whiskeys seemingly out of the ether that then becomes almost mythical.
10. Nashville Barrel Company Hand Selected Straight Rye Whiskey Cask Strength Batch One “Dads Drinking Bourbon”
ABV: 57.25%
Average Price: $98
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is made from an extremely small batch of Indiana rye with a mash of 95/5 (rye/malted barley). The handful of barrels in the mix was around six years old when blended by the team at Nashville Barrel Company. Beyond that, this was bottled as-is with zero fussing.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a soft, cherry-froward nose with hints of old boot leather, apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks, and black tea leaves with a hint of star anise and clove soaked in a hot toddy. The palate is thick and juicy with cherry vanilla spiced holiday cake — heavy on the dark cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg — with a hint of orange creamsicle that fades towards a singed herbaceous note almost like burnt caraway or coriander seeds. The end packs on the warmth with a spicy tobacco buzz full of dark cherry and woody winter spices.
Bottom Line:
Nashville Barrel Company stepped up from the single barrel game for a very small batch expression this year and absolutely crushed it.
9. Bardstown Bourbon Company West Virginia Great Barrel Company Blended Rye Whiskey
ABV: 55%
Average Price: $159
The Whiskey:
This nationwide release is a collaboration with Bardstown Bourbon Company and West Virginia Great Barrel Company, one of the most interesting cooperages in the game right now. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of 95/5 rye from Indiana that’s about seven years old and a 12-year-old 100% corn whiskey from Ontario. The blend was then refilled into infrared toasted cherry oak barrels for a final maturation run before mild proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a rich cinnamon bark touched with apple cider, sharp spearmint, and marzipan with a soft layer of chamomile tea cut with honey and rose water lurking beneath. The palate is luxurious with a thick cherry stew over clotted cream and scones next to smoldering apple, cinnamon, and cherry bark, a sense of old sweet oak staves, and cellar funk. The end has a dried cranberry dipped in dark chocolate vibe next to more of those spice and orchard barks with this fleeting sense of tannic sharpness and cherry cola spice.
Bottom Line:
This really just works wonders as an easy sipper and killer Manhattan base (thanks to that deep and woody cherry vibe), proving Bardstown Bourbon Company is a true titan of modern whiskey blending.
8. Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Whiskey BTAC 2022
ABV: 45%
MSRP: $99
The Whiskey:
This whiskey started its journey back in 2003 and 2004 when the original juice was distilled with Minnesota rye, Kentucky corn, and North Dakota barley. The hot distillate was loaded into new white oak from Independent Stave from Missouri with a #4 char level (55 seconds) and left to rest in warehouses K, M, and P on the second, third, and fourth floors. Overly nearly two decades, an average of 74% of the whiskey was lost to the angels before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This one opens with a pile of candied and burnt orange peels next to a rich lemon bread with plenty of rich vanilla and poppy next to sweet layers of molasses, old leather tobacco pouches, and an old set of lawn furniture that’s spent too much time under and an old oak tree. The palate swells with a deep molasses sweetness next to a dash of freshly cracked black pepper countered by musty cumin, dried red chili pepper flakes, and a whisper of fresh bay leaf that leads to singed wild sage, rye bread crusts covered in coriander seeds, and a touch of maple syrup cut butter with a hint of cinnamon. The end slowly descends into a creamy mint chocolate chip tobacco vibe next to flaked cherry bark ready for a smoker and old oak leaves resting in dead sweetgrass.
Bottom Line:
If you get only one Buffalo Trace Antique Collection rye this year, it has to be their Sazerac 18-year Rye — it’s a masterpiece.
7. Nelson Bros. Rye Whiskey Aged 15 Years
ABV: 54.2%
Average Price: $299
The Whiskey:
This late edition to the whiskey game in 2022 is built to highlight deep blending prowess. The whiskey is made from only eight barrels of 15-year-old Indiana rye. Those barrels were sent down to Nashville where the Nelson Bros. Whiskey team built an iconic rye with them, leaving the at cask strength and unfiltered to highlight the perfection in those barrels.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of an old axe handle and worn leather gloved on the nose with wet Earl Grey tea leaves, vanilla pound cake with poppy seeds, and cinnamon candies crumbled over gingerbread on the nose. A deep earthiness drives the palate from vanilla cream and stewed apple drizzled with dark chocolate and caramel toward spicy mint tobacco, cedar kindling, and old cellar dirt with a hint of that old wood axe handle and leather again. The end leans into the sharp mint tobacco and dips it into sticky toffee pudding cake batter and packs it into an old cedar box wrapped up in wild sage, soft leather, and burnt sweetgrass rope.
Bottom Line:
This is an apex whiskey for the Nelson Brothers and a tour de force of rye whiskey.
6. Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Years Old
ABV: 47.8%
Average Price: $2,399
The Whiskey:
This is the only non-bourbon whiskey in the Van Winkle line. While we don’t know the exact mash bill, Buffalo Trace does use a rye mash bill that’s very low-rye (how low we’ll never know, but it’s way closer to 51% … I heard somewhere). Either way, the juice is then barreled and allowed to mellow for 13 years before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Imagine old rye crusts with a hint of caraway spiked with red peppercorns next to rich salted caramel apples and plenty of Christmas spices layered into a sticky toffee pudding all wrapped up in old worn leather with hints of fatty nuts and dried fruits on the nose. The pepperiness mellows quickly as powdery white pepper leads to a soft vanilla cream pie cut with bitter orange zest, dark chocolate flakes, and a hint of salted black licorice. The end pops with sharp anise and clove next to a fleeting sense of mint chocolate chip tobacco folded up with that old leather and plenty of soft cedar.
Bottom Line:
Yes, this whiskey lives up to the hype. And then some.
5. Michter’s Single Barrel 10-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 46.4%
Average Price: $400
The Whiskey:
This year’s only Michter’s 10-Year release is an instant classic. The whiskey is made from a corn-rich rye whiskey mash bill with a good dose of barley in there. The absolute best barrels are chosen — with some up to 15 years old — for this release. Then each of those barrels is individually bottled as-is with a hint of proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
Rich and lush toffee combine with soft marzipan on the nose as a dash of freshly cracked black pepper lead to cinnamon-laced apple cider and cherry-soaked cedar bark. The palate is part Red Hot and part zesty orange marmalade with creamy vanilla pudding, sweet and spicy dried chili peppers with a hint of smoke and woodiness, and this fleeting whisper of celery salt. The end dries out the almond with a vanilla cream tobacco, soft and sweet cedar, and dark chocolate orange vibe all balanced to damn near perfection.
Bottom Line:
This is a pièce de résistance for any bar cart. And not for nothing, this rye makes the best Manhattan you’ll ever drink.
4. Barrell Gold Label Seagrass
ABV: 64.06%
Average Price: $500
The Whiskey:
This very limited and high-end version of Barrell’s Seagrass rye is made from two sets of 100% rye whisky from Canada. The first set was finished in apricot brandy casks before heading to Barrell’s blending house in Kentucky. The second set was finished in Martinique rhum barrels before transport to KY. Finally, a little bit of each set was then re-barreled and into Malmsey Madeira barrels for a final rest. All of those barrels were then slowly blended into this whiskey and bottled completely as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a hint of caramel malt next to apricot jam, old lawn furniture, grilled pineapple skins, Nutella, and some orange blossoms with a whisper of rye crust with caraway leading to a dry sense of hazelnut shells and wild sage. The palate opens with rich honey next to orange oils, dusty prunes, mango skins, and maybe a hint of cumin and dried red chili. The end mixes a touch of lemon oils with black peppercorns as the honey and mango cream toward a sweet and tropical fruit end that’s countered by rich notes of nutmeg and pineapple tobacco.
Bottom Line:
“Bold” would be an understatement here. This whiskey is a journey in every sip and takes you deep into the corners of rye whiskey you didn’t know existed.
3. Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Cornerstone
ABV: 54.5%
Average Price: $499
The Whiskey:
This is the first rye whiskey that Wild Turkey released for the Master’s Keep line. Eddie Russell devised this whiskey from nine to 11-year-old barrels from the prime sections of various rickhouses. Once batched, the whiskey was just proofed before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of apple old-fashioned doughnuts on the nose with a cinnamon-maple glaze next to old rye bread crusts with caraway and fennel with a slight whisper of dry dill before a whisper of white pepper and dried chili starts to sneak in. Salted apple chips dipped in floral honey drive the palate toward sour mulled wine full of star anise, clove, cardamom, and mace with a dash of molasses and rum-raisin. The end leans into the woodiness of the spices with cinnamon bark and allspice berries with the faintest line of sasparilla and black licorice-laced tobacco braided with old wicker canes.
Bottom Line:
This is an incredible rye whiskey that takes you on a journey with every single nose and sip.
2. Kiamichi A Willett & Followill Family Collaboration Aged 8 Years
ABV: 55%
Average Price: $249
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is the second in a series of collaborations between Kings of Leon and Willett Distillery. The whiskey is a six-barrel small-batch blend of Willett’s low-rye mash bill. The hot juice was loaded into ISC oak barrels that were cured for nine months before getting a semi-high char. The band hand-selected the barrels themselves and the team at Willett made sure the rest was done exactly right.
Tasting Notes:
Subtle notes of old glove leather kissed with years of menthol cigarette smoke mingle with a spicy cherry-cinnamon cake frosted with creamed walnuts and vanilla with a brandy butter with a whisper of tannic old oak staves that has a twinge of waxy cacao nib. The palate soaks some dried figs in spiced honey with an Earl Grey vibe accentuating a bitter salted dark chocolate, rummy minced meat pies, and wet brown sugar cut with dried ancho chili flakes. The end leans into the spice with a Hot Tamales cinnamon candy sweet/spicy sensation next to a lush mouthfeel.
Bottom Line:
This was a delicious example of Willett’s ingenuity and expert barrel selection creating a genuinely delicious pour of whiskey.
1. Rare Character Single Barrel Series Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Amburana Casks
ABV: 52.5%
Average Price: $129
The Whiskey:
This is a niche whiskey company started by whiskey legend Andrew Shapira (if you know, you know) with partners Peter Nevenglosky and Pablo Moix. The whiskey is a single barrel of whiskey that was hidden away as an “experimental” cask until Shapira’s team rescued it and gave it to the world. The experiment in this case was aging classic rye in Brazilian Amburana casks to see how a non-oak wood finish would work with rye whiskey.
Spoiler alert, it f*cking worked.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a soft and fatty nuttiness from the wood on the nose that’s part Brazil nut and part macadamia nut with a rich and sharp woody spiciness that’s full of dry ginger, big strips of cinnamon bark, and handfuls of clove and allspice berries next to soft creamed vanilla and almond paste cut with orange oils and dark cacao waxiness. The palate pops with that woody spice and barky florals with a touch of tart red berry, burnt orange, and dry wild sage next to white chocolate and this sense of a hippy den full of incense, oils, and old throw rugs. The end amps up the woody spice towards a sharp cinnamon bark and dry star anise with a touch of cream soda and old straw bales before a nutty spiced pipe tobacco arrives with a fleeting sense of fruit boiled down to a thick syrup.
Bottom Line:
This is out there, wildly flavored, and bold AF, and it goddamn rules. This ain’t your grandpappy’s rye whiskey, that’s for f*cking sure.
