American rye whiskey has had a true renaissance over the past few years. About a decade ago, the genre was dominated by one style — Indiana 95/5 rye, as seen in bottles like Bulleit Rye. There were niche ryes still being made in Kentucky by Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace, and Jim Beam (alongside crafties here and there) but the style was overall very narrow — and nowhere near the heydays of the 1950s, 1920s, or 1890s, much less the dominance the style had in the 1700s.
Today, everyone is making a rye yet again — or at least it feels like it. That makes listing the 50 best American rye whiskeys of 2023 a fun and increasingly wide-ranging task. This year gave us a true bounty of great whiskeys to choose from — so I’m ranking them below!
For this year’s list of best American rye whiskeys (rye whiskey is a Central European whiskey style and is having a huge resurgence in places like Germany right now too), I’m choosing bottles that I’ve had the pleasure of sampling throughout the year. I’m lucky enough to get to try a lot — over 2,000 whiskeys this year alone — and love rye whiskey in general. So I seek out the new stuff as much as I can. That means each of the whiskeys below is new to 2023 in that they were either released for the first time this year or are 2023 batches of well-known releases. I’ve left out any Canadian rye whiskeys that are bottled by American blenders/bottlers though. That leaves out a big swath of brands like WhistlePig, Preservation, and Uncle Nearest.
As for the ranking, the variation in quality is nil — these are all well-made rye whiskeys. The variation in depth, nuance, and beauty is a little wider between numbers 50 and 1. My advice is to read my tasting notes, find the whiskey(s) that speak to you, and then hit that price link to see if you can snag a bottle for your bar cart. Let’s dive in!
50. Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye Tennessee Rye Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $33
The Whiskey:
The base of this new Bonded whiskey is Jack’s signature rye whiskey with a mash bill of 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley fermented with their own yeast and lactobacillus. The juice is then twice distilled via column stills and then slowly filtered through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal. That filtered whiskey then rests in a barrel for four long years before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Ripe peaches, bananas, and Granny Smith apples lead on the nose with a light sense of molasses winter ginger cakes, a touch of cinnamon bark, and light hints of dry sweetgrass that’s just smoldering.
Palate: The taste leans into the toffee with a good dose of banana creaminess before veering toward roasting herbs and more sweetgrass braided with cedar bark, pipe tobacco, and smudging sage.
Finish: The end warms up just enough with banana bread cut with dried ancho chili layered into light dark chocolate tobacco leaves and more of that sweetgrass.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the most important releases of the year in that it’s a) widely available, b) amazingly well-priced, and c) goddamn tasty. Overall, this is the rye that you want to mix your simple at-home cocktails with. It’ll shine brightly in any concoction.
49. Great Jones Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $40
The Whiskey:
This is a very local New York whiskey. The mash uses grains grown in New York before the juice is distilled and aged at the craft distillery. The whiskey ages for four years before batching, proofing, and barreling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This whiskey opens with a nose full of lemon and cumin with a dose of vanilla and pepper.
Palate: The palate is cinnamon candy forward with vanilla tobacco and lemon pepper mingling with a hint of old oak staves and maybe some sour cherry.
Finish: The end is light but spicy with a rush of dried fruits and sweet brown sugars.
Bottom Line:
This year’s Great Jones batch dialed in the flavor notes and shines as a great cocktail base, especially in sours.
48. 291 All Rye 100% Rye Malt Colorado Whiskey Finished with Aspen Wood Staves
ABV: 66.3%
Average Price: $115
The Whiskey:
This Colorado whiskey is made with a 100% rye mash bill — 50% Colorado malted rye (from Root Shoot Malting) and 50% German rye malt — on a bespoke still. The hot juice is then aged in new oak with signature toasted aspen wood staves added to help refine the aging process. Finally, the barrels were batched and bottled 100% as-is, yielding only 1,000 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with dark fruit leather, dark black tea leaves, cinnamon bark, and a fistful of dry dill and marjoram with a whisper of salted caramel sweetness.
Palate: The palate has a grainy cinnamon toast vibe next to more of that dark black tea with a hint of clove-spiced plum jam, freshly cracked black pepper, and more of that salted caramel.
Finish: The plumminess drives the finish with a hint of cracked almond shell and dark dill next to fresh flat-leaf parsley and a touch of sweet-sour cherry packed in sawdust.
Bottom Line:
This Colorado crafty is grainy and bold AF. Pour this over a big rock to let it bloom in the glass and highlight those creamy caramel notes.
47. J. Rieger’s Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled In Bond Spring 2023
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $54
The Whiskey:
This Kansas City rye is made with a local mash bill of 96% rye and 4% malted barley (just a notch off the classic 95/5 rye/barley of the mainstream). The whiskey was left to mellow for six years in Kansas City before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a light nose that eventually opens up toward candied orange, old book leather, and sourdough apple fritters next to a hint of green grass in the summer and nasturtiums.
Palate: Hints of old oak pop on the palate as those apple fritters take on a lot of cinnamon before cherries dipped in chocolate lead toward a creamy sense of butter and maybe some marmalade.
Finish: Smudging sage warms the end with a hint of Almond Joy and sesame honey crackers over cedar tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Kansas City is becoming a whiskey destination! This rye is a classic American rye with a nice fruity spiced vibe that works wonders in whiskey-forward cocktails or on the rocks on a slow weekday.
46. Old Ezra Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 7 Years
ABV: 57%
Average Price: $83
The Whiskey:
This 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:
Nose: 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.
Palate: The palate leans into the soft vanilla with a dash of burnt orange and leathery spice before some ABVs start buzzing on the tongue.
Finish: The end has a nice layer of orange and clove tobacco with a hint of old oak and vanilla honey cookies.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskeys that sneaks up on you. I actually finished this bottle (a rarity at my house) in cocktails this year, which means that this whiskey slaps. Try it in an old fashioned.
45. Rossville Union Bottled In Bond Straight Rye Whiskey 6 Years Old
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $49
The Whiskey:
This whiskey comes from MGP of Indiana’s Ross & Squibb Distillery. The mash is a very unique 51% rye and 49% malted barley mix. After at least four years of mellowing, the whiskey is small batched (only 3,000 bottles were filled), proofed, and bottled otherwise as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of wet parsley next to sweet malted chocolate shakes, rum raisins, and soft worn leather.
Palate: Salted caramel and light vanilla cream before dark leathery plum and date lead to woody spice and a hint of floral potpourri.
Finish: That floral vibe edges toward apple blossom and more dark chocolate with a hint of cinnamon sticks floating in hot apple cider with a hint of roasting herbs in the background.
Bottom Line:
This is another great cocktail whiskey. The chocolate and spice work well with the dark fruits to create a good Manhattan base.
44. Union Horse Distilling Co. Reunion Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 46.5%
Average Price: $38
The Whiskey:
This Missouri whiskey is all about local to the point that even the barrels are hyper-local — a perk of making whiskey near one of the biggest sources of oak in the country. The whiskey is made with a mash of 100% local rye grown in Missouri. That whiskey then goes into a special Missouri oak barrel that was seasoned outside for 24 months before being toasted and charred specifically for this whiskey. Those rye barrels were then batched, proofed with local water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a classic sense of rye bread with plenty of dill and caraway front and center that gives way to dark powdery chocolate, roasted almonds, toffee, and a touch of candied orange with this nice layer of nostalgic backyard on a summer day vibes.
Palate: That summer grassiness carries on through the palate as blueberry pie and vanilla cake mingle with a hint of salted caramel, more of that herbal rye bread, and a twist from a pepper mill over old boot leather.
Finish: The end sweetens with the caramel and vanilla as black licorice, stewed blueberry, and spiced winter cakes play with a nice sense of fresh herb gardens in the sun.
Bottom Line:
Missouri is popping off right now in the American whiskey scene. This rye is a great example of Missouri craftsmanship with wonderful depth and versatility that makes it great for mixing your favorite cocktails.
43. Nashville Barrel Company Hand Selected Straight Rye Whiskey Cask Strength
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:
Nose: 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.
Palate: 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.
Finish: The end packs on the warmth with a spicy tobacco buzz full of dark cherry and woody winter spices.
Bottom Line:
The team at Nashville Barrel Company has this magic touch when selecting barrels for their releases that just … perfection. Even if you can’t get this exact bottle, any single-barrel rye from NBC will be a showstopper.
42. Buzzard’s Roost Straight Rye Whiskey Smoked Barrel
ABV: 52.5%
Average Price: $70
The Whiskey:
Buzzard’s Roost is a female-led Kentucky bottler. The whiskey in this bottle is double-casked rye from Indiana (MGP’s famed 95/5 rye). After four years of resting, the rye whiskey is re-barreled into new American oak that was toasted and then smoked instead of charred for a final maturation rest before blending and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is rich and full of nutty banana bread brimming with cinnamon and cardamom next to salted caramel and moist vanilla cake kissed with tart cherry and a pinch of dark chocolate.
Palate: The palate leads off with a hint of burnt orange that sweetens towards marmalade with more of that vanilla and caramel accented by a campfire-singed marshmallow.
Finish: The end has a light smudged sage vibe that circles back to that nutty and spicy banana bread with a buttery softness.
Bottom Line:
This is a special rye that deserves your time as a slow sipper before cocktail experimentation.
41. Old Potrero Single Barrel Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 65.16%
Average Price: $86
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is a bit of a throwback with a West Coast vibe. The juice is 100% rye whiskey made at Hotaling & Co. in Potrero Hill, one of San Francisco’s most iconic spots for booze. As of this year, the spirit is being distilled on the waterfront in San Francisco but still carries that Anchor Brewing heritage (RIP). With that move, the bottle also got a brand new design that leans into San Francisco’s sea-faring history.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Molasses heavy bran muffins mingle with dry cinnamon sticks, Granny Smith apple skins, and Red Hots next to rum-raisin and a twinge of an old oak stave and craft grain porridge with a caramelized edge.
Palate: The palate leans into ginger snaps with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg next to vanilla pudding right out of the cup and a dry sense of cedar kindling.
Finish: The end holds onto the dry woodiness with a layer of salted caramel raisins, sweet porridge, and vanilla candy on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent example of the great work going on in California craft distilling right now. While I like this with fruity cocktails (especially apple and peach with citrus), it works just as well over a rock as a sipper.
40. Hunting Creek Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $49
The Whiskey:
This new rye is from award-circuit darling Southern Distilling Company in North Carolina. The whiskey is made from a low-rye mash of 51% rye, 39% corn, and 10% malted barley. The whiskey then ages for at least four years before it’s batched and proofed to bottled-in-bond strength (100-proof) for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a medley of winter spices — clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, anise — that leads to a mixed berry jam with a touch of salted butter over rye toast next to dark cherry leatheriness.
Palate: The vanilla opens the palate with creaminess as the winter spices adhere to the dark berries and build a sort of berry crumble vibe next to woody dryness.
Finish: That woodiness drives the finish toward more winter spice, a hint of that rye toast, and more berries with a deep earthiness — think rich black potting soil — on the very end.
Bottom Line:
Southern Distilling is on fire right now and this rye release is fuel for that fire. Pour this over rocks or in a cocktail and you’ll be all set.
39. Scarlet Shade Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 14 Years
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $199
The Whisky:
The new Orphan Barrel from Diageo is a very rare release. The whiskey in the bottle is a 14-year-old rye that was distilled in Indiana and then left to age at the famed Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky. Those barrels were batched and proofed before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is a vanilla bomb with a sense of buttercream and salted caramel ice cream next to fresh dark berries, a hint of zucchini bread with walnuts and clove, and a mild sense of cedar cigar humidors.
Palate: The bark-heavy winter spices amp up on the palate as plums, peaches, and pears get stewed and lead to a sharp marmalade with a hint of salted dark chocolate-covered espresso beans next to coffee-laced tobacco with a whisper of black cherry.
Finish: The end leans into the spice and tobacco as the orchard fruit amps up with a deep vanilla cake base cut with real vanilla pods and a light sense of old oak staves in a dusty cellar with a dirt floor.
Bottom Line:
This one-off rye is worth tracking down for just a pour at a good whiskey bar. It’s tasty AF. If you do snag a bottle, try it in subtle whiskey-forward cocktails. The nutty dark fruity tobacco vibes are perfect for Sazeracs or Manhattans.
38. Chicken Cock Rum Barrel Rye Island Rooster Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 47.5%
Average Price: $200
The Whiskey:
This collaboratively-distilled whiskey (at Bardstown Bourbon Company) from Chicken Cock is from 25 hand-picked four-year-old Kentucky straight rye casks (with a mash bill of 95/5). Those barrels were vatted and re-barreled in Caribbean rum casks for six more months of maturation. Finally, the whiskey was bottled with a touch of proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a hint of sour orchard fruit next to fresh grains, light molasses sweetness (with a twinge of tannic oak) next to a mild dose of dried and woody chili pepper.
Palate: The palate starts off with a sour apple candy sweetness next to rum-soaked raisins with more of that tannic molasses, a good layer of vanilla creaminess, buttery toffee, and a dash of red peppercorns.
Finish: The end lets the butteriness of the toffee take over as crusty rye bread flour mixes with dark sugars.
Bottom Line:
Chicken Cock’s collab with Bardstown Bourbon Company has yielded some great work. This is a prime example of that and the beauty of rum barrel finishing. Pour this with your dessert course this winter.
37. Brother’s Bond Four-Grain Small-Batch American Blended Rye Whiskey
ABV: 47.5%
Average Price: $48
The Whiskey:
This new release from Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley’s Brothers Bond is their first foray into rye. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of their bourbon cut with a four-year-old 95/5 rye (rye/malted barley). The final product ends up being a 77% rye whiskey once batched, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark fruit leather, stewed peach, and salted caramel mingle with vanilla buttercream cut with toffee and winter spice syrups on the nose.
Palate: The palate opens with a hint of grilled pineapple and peach dosed in caramel sauce and hit with salt before dark winter spice cakes arrive with dates, prunes, and old nuts with plenty of clove and allspice that eventually leads to a hint of eggnog creaminess.
Finish: The spice gets barky on the backend as the finish drives toward old wicker furniture in sweetgrass on a summer’s day next to a mild chili-peach-infused chewing tobacco leaf.
Bottom Line:
This is a lovely dessert rye with a deep and dark fruity spiciness, making it perfect for holiday sipping or mixing.
36. Sagamore Spirit Port Finish Rye A Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys
ABV: 51.5%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
The 2023 release of Sagamore’s iconic Port Finished Rye is another winner. The batch is made from six-year-old barrels. That whiskey was then re-barreled into port barrels from Boordy Vineyards (in Maryland) for another three years of rest before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright raspberries mingle with cherry pie, plum jam, and plenty of oaky winter spice on the nose with a thick layer of vanilla cream, pipe tobacco, and mild red chili spice.
Palate: Those raspberries take on a crumble vibe on the palate as thick layers of salted dark chocolate mingle with orange zest, vanilla buttercream, brandy-soaked dates and prunes, and more of that rich tobacco cut with winter spice.
Finish: The tobacco and winter spice peak on the finish with sharpness and oakiness before the dark fruits steer the end back toward lush vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This is beloved whiskey for a reason, it’s really goddamn easygoing. While you can sip this over a rock easily, make a Manhattan with it.
35. Kentucky Owl Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 11 Years Limited Edition Bayou Mardi Gras XO Cask
ABV: 51.4%
Average Price: $499
The Whiskey:
The latest limited edition from Kentucky Owl celebrates Mardi Gras with a small release of rum-finished whiskey. The whiskey in the bottle is 11-year-old Kentucky straight rye that then spends another year in Bayou Rum XO casks from Louisiana.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a soft leatheriness on the nose with a sense of old rye bread, sweet butter, and winter spices layered into a vanilla cake.
Palate: The taste is on the sweeter end with dark cherry and stewed plum next to orange marmalade, allspice berries, creamy vanilla pudding, and a mild sense of dry and old herb gardens.
Finish: The lush end layers in that sweet butter and creamy vanilla with a sense of clove tobacco, sharp and spicy root beer, and lush eggnog with plenty of nutmeg.
Bottom Line:
It has to be said … if you’re going to buy one Kentucky Owl from 2023, this is the one to buy. It’s legitimately tasty rye with serious depth.
34. Pinhook Straight Rye Whiskey Vertical Series Rye Tiz Rye Time 7 Years Old
ABV: 52.56%
Average Price: $89
The Whiskey:
This rye whiskey is an experiment in curating Indiana MGP rye barrels (95/5 rye/barley) in Kentucky (at Castle & Key). The latest release is a batch of 28 Kentucky-aged barrels that are all seven years old. The rye was batched and bottled as-is to highlight the whiskey that came out of the barrel.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of black-tea-soaked and cinnamon-infused date-heavy sticky toffee pudding with a dollop of brandy butter that’s countered by a hint of grapefruit pith, soft suede, and Werther’s Originals.
Palate: The palate lets that leather get a little worn as the Werther’s get darker (almost burnt) and notes of black licorice ropes, clove buds, dry oak, and brandy-soaked raisins mingle.
Finish: The finish has a bit of a dry straw by way of a black pepper vibe that lingers on your senses for just the right amount of time, leaving you with a final note of gingersnaps.
Bottom Line:
This is a great sipping rye, especially over a big rock. And it’s a no-brainer purchase if you’re even remotely into horse racing.
33. Still Austin Cask Strength Rye Whiskey
ABV: 58%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
This new release from Still Austin uses 100% Texas rye in its mash bill. That whiskey is then proofed and filled into barrels and left to mellow with water getting added over the years (so that water evaporates before the whiskey does). Finally, a few barrels are selected and bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with pure nostalgia — summertime back porch livin’ — with soft cherry pie, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, ginger rock candy, and a note of apricot jam over buttermilk biscuits.
Palate: A note of coffee cake opens the palate toward marzipan cut with pear brandy and a light sense of lemon cake drizzled with mint frosting.
Finish: The mint gets spice on the finish with a sense of candied ginger and brown winter spices before soft salted buttercream and cherries soaked in brandy round things out.
Bottom Line:
Still Austin is making the best rye in Texas right now. They’ve nailed it.
32. Basil Hayden Malted Rye Kentucky Straight Rye Malt Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $68
The Whiskey:
Beam just released a new permanent addition to the iconic Basil Hayden lineup. This newbie is a 100% malted rye whiskey that was left to age until just right. The best barrels were batched and proofed down to Basil Hayden’s necessary 80-proof for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You’re immediately greeted with spiced dill and soft caramel on the nose next to old oak, soft saddle leather, and a mild sense of rye toast with salted butter and a hint of floral honey.
Palate: Sweet and creamy vanilla arrives on the palate with a nice spice — clove, cinnamon, allspice — before soft sourdough rye bread with a whisper of caraway arrives.
Finish: Chili-spiced chocolate pops late on the palate with a sense of cinnamon toast and vanilla bean before a lush creaminess leads to spiced tobacco with a leatheriness on the end.
Bottom Line:
This is the most approachable whiskey on the list. Buy this for easygoing (the easiest) sipping and mixing.
31. Lost Lantern Single Cask Series Corbin Cash California Straight Rye Whiskey 7 Years Old
ABV: 64.9%
Average Price: $119
The Whiskey:
This new Lost Lantern Corbin Cash is a seven-year-old rye whiskey. The whiskey was made with 100% Merced rye grown by the Souza family specifically for this whiskey. After seven years of rest in a heavily charred barrel, the barrel was tapped by the Lost Lantern team and bottled 100% as-is, yielding only 146 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of walnut cake that edges toward zucchini bread with plenty of butter, brown spice, salt, and brown sugar on the nose with a light note of marzipan dipper in melon.
Palate: There’s this sense of sweet roots on the palate that leads back to the melon-laced marzipan, more of that nutcake, and a sense of spice barks dipped in syrupy mulled wine.
Finish: The end has a light grassiness that gives way to creamy floral honey, smudging sage, and a deep nuttiness tied to what almost feels like a moist carrot cake with vanilla frosting.
Bottom Line:
This is in the wind, so it’ll be hard to find now. But goddamn was this an amazing pour of whiskey. You’ll be in for a real rye-forward treat if you can find one.
30. Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey Heavy Toasted Barrel Finish
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $70
The Whiskey:
This is made with 100% Indiana rye whiskey. The whiskey was then re-barreled into fresh heavily toasted barrels (with a tiny bit of char) before batching and bottling with a touch of proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a leathery sense of old winter spice barks, rich caramel, and vanilla pudding cut with butterscotch and orange rinds.
Palate: There’s a sense of singed marshmallows and dark orange zest on the palate that leans into hints of minty tobacco and cedar bark.
Finish: A hint of salted caramel and dark chocolate oranges drive the finish toward a soft old oakiness and a touch of smudging sage.
Bottom Line:
This is just a nice sipper. It also makes a mean old fashioned with a nice hint of firewood.
29. Filmland Spirits Presents Ryes of the Robots Small Batch Straight Rye Whiskey The Extended Cut 2023 Batch
ABV: 54%
Average Price: $74
The Whiskey:
This new whiskey release blends Hollywood B-movies with sourced whiskey. The actual juice is a 95/5 (rye/malted barley) sourced whiskey from Kentucky. Beyond that, not much is known. However, there’s been an incredible amount of work on writing a script and drawing up storyboards around the beautifully designed release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a nice mix of dark berries and old leather next to cinnamon bark and clove berries with a hint of caramel before veering toward sheet cake and singed marshmallows.
Palate: The palate hits a mint chocolate chip vibe with a dash of black peppercorn before bright red berries floating in vanilla-laced cream lead the taste back toward smoldering marshmallows and a lot of woody winter spice.
Finish: Oak staves and cinnamon bark really peak on the finish next to very mild menthol tobacco just kissed with red berries and more of that creamy vanilla with a whisper of green grass lurking under it all.
Bottom Line:
The team at Filmland built a beautiful rye whiskey with this release. Take it slow, sip it, add some water or ice, and let it take you on a journey. Then mix it into your favorite cocktail.
28. Doc Swinson’s Whiskey Bottled in Bond Rye Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
This special bottling from out in Washington highlights Indiana rye. The whiskey in the bottles is a seven-year-old 95/5 (rye/malted barley) MGP rye whiskey. The barrels were batched and just proofed with water before botted-in-bond bottling in Washington state.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sticky toffee pudding with a lot of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and black tea drives the nose toward moments of black licorice, figs, rum-soaked raisin, and soft dill with a sweet edge.
Palate: Those raisins open the palate with a spicy sweetness before lush vanilla and caramel lead back to woody spice barks, burnt orange, and nutshells with a hint of plummy tobacco.
Finish: The end leans into the plumminess with a lush vibe that’s accented by old cedar kindling, smoldering smudging sage, and a sense of date and prune flesh.
Bottom Line:
This is another one that’s just straight-up delicious. It’s well-built, deeply hewn, and has an approachability that makes it easy to sip any ol’ day of the week.
27. Blackwood Toasted Rye Whiskey Barrel Strength
ABV: 58.2%
Average Price: $150
The Whiskey:
This rye is sourced from expertly picked barrels for a very small batch offering. The mash is a classic 95/5 rye/malted barley bill. The barrels are close to seven years old before a handful comes together to create this barrel-strength bottling of only 620 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is a straight-up classic with a sense of cherry and cinnamon tied to fresh and chewy tobacco with a sense of old cedar bark braided with dry sweetgrass and smudging sage with a light sense of pear candy and cream soda.
Palate: The taste leans into spiced cherry tobacco and stewed pear with a hint of marmalade and peach cobbler next to a hint of black-tea-soaked dates, salted whiskey-laced toffee, and clotted cream before a red chili pepper spiciness kicks in with a sense of cinnamon and cherry bark.
Finish: The woodies of the orchard fruit and spice drive the warm finish — but never hot — toward a luxurious and creamy end full of sharp yet sweet tobacco, a whisper of dank resin, and echoes of old fruit orchards.
Bottom Line:
This is just an all-around solid rye for sipping or mixing with the perfect balance of wood and sweet rye depth.
26. Grand Traverse Distillery Hand Selected Ole George Cask Strength Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 69.35%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This is a Michigan grain-to-glass experience. The whiskey is made from a mash of 95% Northern Michigan raw rye and 5% Northern Michigan malted rye. That whiskey rests for four to five years before a single barrel is picked and bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Caramel malts and old rye sourdough starter drive the nose toward vanilla pods, nut clusters, and plenty of winter spice with a hint of sourdough toast with blackberry jam.
Palate: There’s a light marmalade vibe on the palate that leads to more winter spice, burnt orange, salted caramel dipped in dark chocolate, and a touch of peppery tobacco.
Finish: The vanilla creates a silky finish that leans into the sweetness of the caramel and softness of slowly cooked grains with a hint of nutty tobacco and old oak staves.
Bottom Line:
Michigan is another corner of America with a burgeoning whiskey scene. This sleeper is going to be something that you have to find in-state but will be worth it once you get up there.
25. Heaven’s Door Aged 10 Years Decade Series II Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This new release from Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door focuses on 95/5 rye whiskey. In this case, select barrels that were 10 years or older were chosen for the batch. Once batched, this whiskey was proofed to 50% and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Holiday spice cakes and vanilla cookies lead on the nose with very dark and leathery dried fruit sheets over salted toffee rolled in roasted almonds and dipped in espresso-heavy dark chocolate with a rush of grassiness on the backend.
Palate: That grassiness rears its head on the palate and leads to dry roasting herbs with a sense of rye bread stuffing, dark fruit competes, and woody vanilla pods with a bark-heavy clove, anise, and cinnamon.
Finish: The end inches toward earthiness with an old woody spice vibe next to firewood stacked in fresh dirt with a sweet edge over lush vanilla cream.
Bottom Line:
This is a great wintry spiced rye that works wonders as a dessert pour after a big holiday meal.
24. Kings County Distillery Empire Rye Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 51%
Average Price: $109
The Whiskey:
This New York rye is all about New York in the bottle. The whiskey is made from 80% New York-grown Danko rye and 20% English malted barley. That whiskey aged two years before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose transports you to a green-grass backyard in the summer with a pile of maple bar doughnuts and nutmeg-cut rummy apple cider nearby.
Palate: The palate veers from the summer to the holidays with rich holiday nut cakes cut with plenty of cinnamon, clove, and allspice next to freshly baked rye sourdough with a whisper of caraway and fennel.
Finish: There’s a salted butteriness on the finish that adds a nice lushness before the spiced holiday cakes add more spice, soft nuttiness, and a hint more of that rye bread herbal nature.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for the perfect wintry Manhattan rye, this is it. Use a thick and sweet Italian vermouth with a good hit of orange and you’ll be set.
23. High West A Midwinter Nights Dram Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys
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:
Nose: 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).
Palate: 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.
Finish: The end is as silky as eggnog with a whisper of black tea bitterness and minty tobacco rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is a great sipper and meal-pairing whiskey (that umami note is fire). You can also make a mean cocktail with this one.
22. Kentucky Peerless Double Oak Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 54.65%
Average Price: $149
The Whiskey:
This new expression from awards-darling Kentucky Peerless takes its success with Double Oak Bourbon and applies it to its phenomenal rye whiskey. The rye is a local sweet mash whiskey (made with 100% new batches of ingredients every time) and ages for around four years in new oak. Then the whiskey is re-barrelled into a new American oak barrel for a finish run. Once those barrels hit the exact right moment, they’re batched and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There are roasted chestnuts on the nose that lead to a deep sense of pitchy fresh firewood, sweet cinnamon bark, and dark burnt orange rinds with a light moment of vanilla-laced marzipan.
Palate: Crème brûlée leads to fresh oak staves, more cinnamon bark, and a rush of dry wild sagebrush next to orange pekoe tea leaves, a hint of raw brown sugar cubes, and a chewy tobacco spiciness layered into an old leather pouch.
Finish: That chewy tobacco drives the finish with a heady buzz from the ABVs (no burn though) as the sharp cinnamon, soft marzipan, and dark orange oils ebb and flow until the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best bottles of whiskey Kentucky Peerless is producing right now. It’s deep, fun, and makes a hell of a cocktail.
21. Nelson Bros. Whiskey Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 46.25%
Average Price: $44
The Whiskey:
Nelson Bros. Whiskey Rye is a marriage of Kentucky and Tennessee in a bottle. The whiskey was made in Kentucky and then sent to Tennessee where it finished its maturation before batching, proofing, and bottling in Nashville.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark and sharp cloves floating in piney honey open the nose toward hints of star anise, allspice, coriander, and red chili … you know what? It’s five-spice with a touch of fresh mint and dried apricot.
Palate: That apricot stars dried on the palate as freshly ground nutmeg over spiced creamy nog circles back around to syrupy mint with a sense of old leather boots and cedar bark.
Finish: That leather and cedar bark braids with menthol tobacco on the finish as almonds and dark and sharp cinnamon lead to another whisper of five spice on the very end.
Bottom Line:
Pair this whiskey with a good meal with plenty of spice and sweetness and you’ll be all set.
20. Knob Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 7 Years
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $35
The Whiskey:
This new 2023 rye version from Beam marks the age-statement return of their iconic Knob Creek Rye. The whiskey in this case was aged seven years before batching, slight proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Salted caramel sweetness with a vanilla underbelly drives the nose toward rye bread crusts, a hint of dried savory herbs, apple blossoms, and a whisper of soft leather gardening gloves.
Palate: The spiciness arrives after vanilla cream and salted caramel with a dose of freshly cracked red peppercorns, dried red chili, and sharp winter brown spices next to a spiced oak.
Finish: The sweetness and spiciness coalesce on the finish with a deep sense of fruit orchards full of fall leaves and apple bark.
Bottom Line:
This a great table whiskey to have on hand for everyday sipping and mixing. It’s as easygoing over some rocks as it is in your favorite cocktail.
19. Barrell Rye Cask Strength A Blend of Rye Whiskeys Batch #004
ABV: 57.85%
Average Price: $84
The Whiskey:
This new blend of ryes from Barrell Craft Spirits combines four styles of rye. The main component is five, six, and 10-year-old Indiana rye mixed with a five-year-old Tennessee rye, a 6-year-old Kentucky rye, and a 14-year-old Canadian rye. Once batched, those whiskeys were bottled at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Leathery candied fruits and berries drive the nose toward tobacco leaves, roasting herbs, and nasturtiums with a whisper of woody sasparilla just kissed with spearmint and sesame seed.
Palate: There’s a candied fruit vibe on the palate with pecan waffles, butter, maple syrup, and a touch of burnt marshmallow dipped in creamy espresso that leads to anise and old boot leather.
Finish: Hazlenut shells and marzipan lead to a whisper of dried botanicals like juniper and ancho chili with a woody sense of dried herbs and tobacco dosed in old brandy.
Bottom Line:
Yes, this has a touch of Canadian rye whiskey in it, but the lion’s share of the blend is American rye. The point is that this is a great sipping whiskey that has incredible depth. Seriously, take your time sipping this one, add water or ice, and dive back in to plumb the deeper depths. You will be rewarded for your patience.
18. Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Toasted Cherry Wood And Oak Barrels
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $69
The Whiskey:
This whiskey — from Bardstown Bourbon Company’s own Origin Series — is their classic 95/5 rye that’s aged for almost five years. Then the whiskey is finished with alternating toasted American oak and toasted cherry wood staves in the barrel. Once the whiskey is just right, it’s batched, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is classic with fresh cherry layered with nasturtiums, cinnamon sticks, and soft cedar planks just kissed with clove, nutmeg, and anise before light red peppercorns and brandy-soaked cherries dipped in salted dark chocolate kick in.
Palate: The palate follows the nose’s lead with a lush mouthfeel that’s full of spicy stewed fruits and ciders mixing with creamy vanilla and nutty bases over subtle chili pepper spiciness far in the rear of the taste.
Finish: The end pushed the woody spices toward an apple cider/choco-cherry tobacco mix with a cedar box and old leather vibe tying the whole taste together.
Bottom Line:
This is another bottle that ended up being a stalwart of 2023. It’s so good in cocktails that it disappeared quickly at my house. It also pours wonderfully over a big rock as a sipper.
17. Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 52%
Average Price: $73
The Whiskey:
This hand-selected single-barrel expression hits on some pretty big classic Kentucky rye notes. The whiskey for the blend is selected from the center cuts of the third through fifth floors of the Wild Turkey rickhouses. There’s no chill filtering and the expression is only slightly touched by water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a lighter nose but it’s still full of dark orchard fruits, soft vanilla pods, old oak staves with a hint of old barrel house funk, and a mix of spicy orange rind next to freshly cracked black pepper and sharp cinnamon powder.
Palate: The palate leans into the cinnamon and layers it into chewy and buzzy tobacco with hints of vanilla sweetness, cherry bark woodiness, and sharp fancy root beer vibes.
Finish: The end pings on that old musty rickhouse one more time as a humidor full of vanilla, cherry, and cinnamon-spiced tobacco fades towards a rich and buttery toffee with a hint of rye fennel on the very backend.
Bottom Line:
You cannot go wrong pouring this over a big rock and letting it wash over you with its great depth. This is an everyday pour that excels.
16. 15 STARS Fine Aged Rye First West A Select Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys
ABV: 52.5%
Average Price: $89
The Whiskey:
This new release from 15 STARS is a blend of six, seven, and eight-year-old ryes from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. That blend informs the name “First West” as those states were considered the “West” during the early days of the United States in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a deep winter spice — clove, anise, cinnamon, nutmeg — next to Earl Grey tea, dried cranberry, dried cherry, and a dash of sour plum next to faint notes of dry grassy fall leaves and orchard barks with a whisper of roasting herbs.
Palate: Apricot jam over buttermilk scones dusted with cinnamon leads to dry oolong tea leaves, sweet smudging sage, creamed honey, and a touch of ginger tobacco just kissed with dark chocolate sauce cut with cardamon and clove.
Finish: That sharp gingery tobacco drives the finish with a bitter chocolate underbelly toward lush cherrywood and sour plum sauce with a hint more of those opening winter spices, dry fall leaves, and old cellar floors.
Bottom Line:
At this point, we’re into some of the best whiskeys of the year. This is a wonderful sipper that offers incredible nuance as a sipper that will keep unfolding new depths with every return.
15. Hemingway Rye, Signature Edition Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Rum Seasoned Oloroso Sherry Casks
ABV: 51%
Average Price: $79
The Whiskey:
The second release from Hemingway Rye is a blend of six-year-old Indiana rye (classic 95/5 rye/barley) with a four-year-old Kentucky 95/5 rye. Once those whiskeys were batched, the rye was re-barreled in Oloroso sherry casks that held rum.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a hint of dry sweetgrass over berry brambles before veering into nut cake and rum-soaked raisin with a hint of spice barks and vanilla cream.
Palate: Caramel cut with orange oils and dipped in dark chocolate drives the palate toward clove and nutmeg-heavy eggnog with a touch of vanilla sugar cookies, orange cake, and a medley of dates, figs, and prunes.
Finish: That dark fruit folds into a sticky toffee pudding vibe with more of that chocolate-covered caramel and dark orange with a lush finish.
Bottom Line:
Here’s another wonderful example of great sipping rye that just keeps on giving every time that you come back to it. Take it slow and enjoy the ride.
14. Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 18 Years Old (BTAC 2023)
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $2,198
The Whiskey:
This year’s Sazerac is a “collection of rye whiskey barrels” that were filled in both the fall of 2004 and the spring of 2005, making this an 18-year-old rye with a touch of 19-year-old juice. Those barrels spent all of those years on the Buffalo Trace campus in warehouses K, L, and M before batching, proofing, and bottling otherwise as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Leathery spice barks draw you in on the nose with a deep sense of rye bread crusted with aniseed, clove-studded oranges, and a hint of sweet pear.
Palate: Classic notes of dark winter spice mingle with black pepper, cumin, and chili pepper powder on the palate as candied BBQ pork and new leather lead to a vanilla-laden mid-palate with a soft oakiness.
Finish: That soft oakiness leads to a light and fresh honey sweetness with a light sense of pine and cinnamon bark dipped in hot apple cider with a hint of barrelhouse lurking behind it all.
Bottom Line:
This is incredibly sippable neat to the point that you might kill a whole bottle without noticing. If you’re looking for an elite whiskey that won’t blow out your palate with ABVs, this is the one.
13. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Rye Whiskey
ABV: 68.65%
Average Price: $61
The Whiskey:
The whiskey in this bottle is drawn from single barrels of the good stuff. The whiskey in those barrels was made with Jack Daniel’s rye mash bill of 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley that’s fermented with Jack’d proprietary yeast and lactobacillus before running through column stills. The hot juice was then slowly — literally one drip at a time — filtered through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal made on-site at the distillery. Once filtered, the whiskey was filled into new American oak barrels and left to rest until each one was just right for a barrel-proof bottling run.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose runs deep with a hint of dried red chili pepper that builds toward soft and fresh pipe tobacco cut with pear and packed into an old leather pouch as a little bit of old candy wrapper a note of fizzy chinotto soda with a rock candy sweetness and a hint of dry sweet cedar.
Palate: Sweet dark fruits and grilled peach open the palate as a dramatic warmth starts to build toward razor-sharp clove, cinnamon, and mace with a very slight woody bark presence before singed marshmallows come into play and the heat hits 9-point-holy-shit on the Richter Scale.
Finish: That heat fades pretty quickly on the back end as notes of old boot leather and apple skin tobacco mingle with a faint whisper of creamy almond and ginger rock candy next to a fleeting note of dried ancho chilis soaked in hot water.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent rye, but (amazingly!) not the best Jack Daniel’s rye of 2023 (keep scrolling!). Still, this is so sippable and deep that you will keep coming back to it again and again until that bottle is empty and you’re ready to buy another.
12. Michter’s US*1 Barrel Strength Toasted Barrel Finish Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 54.45%
Average Price: $520
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is Michter’s standard rye, finished in a second toasted barrel. In this case, those barrels are air-dried for 24 long months before being lightly toasted and loaded with the rye. The whiskey then goes into the bottle at barrel strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a spicy and sweet nose that’s just like a buttery, candied, and dried fruit, and nut-filled holiday cake that’s been drenched in good whiskey and left to sit for a month to amp up those flavors while a flutter of dry cedar kindling dipped in dark chocolate sneaks in.
Palate: The taste has a clear sense of black-tea-soaked dates, creamed vanilla honey, black walnuts, wet brown sugar, and a touch of salted dark chocolate with a whisper of bitterness that feels like vanilla pods still on the branch and old smoking hickory just kissed with brisket fat.
Finish: The mid-palate dries out towards that pitchy yet dry woodpile with an echo of dirt from the bottom of that woodpile on the finish before the roasting herbs and soft dark berries arrive with a whisper of dark chocolate tobacco and leather.
Bottom Line:
This is a perfect whiskey for pouring over a single big rock. That ice will calm the wood down and amp up the creaminess to this lovely balance of wintry spice cakes and woods that speak to winter sipping. It’s a delight next to a roaring fire on a cold winter night.
11. Old Overholt Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 10 Years
ABV: 60.5%
Average Price: $129
The Whiskey:
This special release from the James B. Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, takes a classic and dials it up to MAX volume. The whiskey is iconic Old Overholt rye that’s left alone in the Clermont warehouses for 10 long years before batching and bottling at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft corn husks and sweet oak dance on the nose next to bourbon vanilla buttercream, warm cinnamon toast, and brandied cherries just kissed with dark chocolate, red chili spice, and Earl Grey tea leaves.
Palate: That spice pops on the front of the palate before the cherries reappear with rich toffee and more of that creamy vanilla that’s countered by au poivre sauce without the steak.
Finish: Rye bread crust dipped into the creamy green peppercorn sauce on the finish before a sweet underbelly of creamed vanilla honey leads to a cherry spiced tobacco rolled with smudging sage and old boot leather and packed into an old oak barrel.
Bottom Line:
This goes places that you really don’t expect and just works — that cherry/chocolate vibe working with a creamy peppercorn spicy sauciness is baffling on paper but a delight on the senses. Pour this when you want something deep, fresh, and fun — especially if you’re eating steak au poivre!
10. Blue Run Single Barrel Double Oak Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (Barrel: #68594)
ABV: 53.85%
Average Price: $199
The Whiskey:
Blue Run Double Oak Single Barrel Rye Whiskey is a new line of 10 single barrels that dropped in time for Father’s Day 2023. The whiskey in each case is a double oak finish Kentucky rye that’s first aged in classic American white oak that’s finished in another new American white oak barrel — both of which were toasted and charred to a level #3 (medium deep). Those whiskey barrels were then bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright dried red chili peppers mingle with soft leather, a twinge of toffee sweetness, soft red berries, and a whisper of umami.
Palate: Caramel and woody vanilla rush to a touch of cherry bark and ABV warmth next to creamy winter spice and a hint of sharp red chili heat.
Finish: The end is a long and warm hug with a sense of dried brown spices with a hot edge, mild nuttiness, and a foundation of buttercream cut with sassafras.
Bottom Line:
Blue Run released a lot of great limited editions this year and this was the top of the pack. Sip it slowly and it’ll reveal beautiful depth and new hidden corners with every revisit.
9. Starlight Distillery Old Rickhouse Huber’s Bottled-In-Bond Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
This rye from craft distiller Starlight Distillery — part of the Huber Farm and Winery in Southern Indiana — is all about that final blend. The small batch is made from a group of five-year-old barrels and just proofed to highlight the whiskey in those barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The whiskey opens with a nose full of white pepper countered by stewed apples with a twinge of sour cherry tossed in smoked sea salt before a hint of creamy espresso and summer herb gardens arrive.
Palate: The palate has a creaminess that leans toward mocha lattes with a tobacco spiciness, cedar bark, and more of that stewed orchard fruit with an underlying white pepper spiciness.
Finish: The end leans into that white pepper with plenty of warm apple cider spiked with clove and cinnamon over vanilla cake cut with salted toffee and creamy espresso just kissed with chocolate tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is the best straight-forward workhorse whiskey on the list. This whiskey is so dialed and delicious. And it works however you want to drink it. It never fails. That’s worth celebrating.
8. Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Years Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 47.8%
Average Price: $1,999
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 whiskey is then barreled and allowed to mellow for 13 years before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: 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.
Palate: 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.
Finish: 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:
2023’s Van Winkle Rye is a winner. Yes, this is an over-hyped bottle but it’s goddamn slaps. One sip of this and you’ll instantly “get it” as to why this bottle is so beloved and sought after. Then mix this into an amazing cocktail.
7. Parker’s Heritage Collection 17th Edition Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Cask Strength Aged 10 Years
ABV: 64.4%
Average Price: $749
The Whiskey:
The latest edition to Heaven Hill’s Parker’s Heritage Collection is a brashy 10-year-old rye. The whiskey is made from 142 barrels from specific warehouses and floors, all made with Heaven Hill’s 51% rye mash bill (supported by 35% corn and 14% malted barley). Once batched, the whiskey went into the bottle 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark stewed and dried fruits lead on the nose with a deep leatheriness that makes for chewy dried chili peppers, old tobacco leaves, and musty spice racks full of cumin, cinnamon, and clove.
Palate: Stewed black cherries dipped in dark chocolate open the palate toward deep creamed honey, cinnamon-infused mulled wine, and clove-studded blood oranges with a hint of old wicker porch furniture and piles of fall leaves just moistened by the rain.
Finish: Dry winter spice barks and berries mingle with dark black cherry compote on the finish before the wicker reeds take on a moment of dank and more tobacco drives the finish to a warm yet eggnog-creamy end.
Bottom Line:
Heaven Hill has quietly been making some of the best rye for a very long time. This bottle is a testament to the beautiful rye whiskey they produce. Sip it slow and enjoy the silky ride through wintry spice and holiday vibes.
6. Thomas H. Handy Straight Rye Whiskey Barrel Proof (BTAC 2023)
ABV: 62.45%
Average Price: $759
The Whiskey:
This year’s Handy is straight rye (oddly “Kentucky” is missing from the label) comprised of barrels aged for over six years. Once those barrels were batched, this whiskey went into the bottles 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Leathery orange rinds and hints of lemon poppyseed cake pop on the nose along with sappy pine bark, salted caramel, and cumin- and chili-laced leathery tobacco.
Palate: Dark rye bread appears on the front of the palate with a hint of molasses sweetness before the ABVs create a buzzing on the tongue with deep and dark orange marmalade, piney honey, soft vanilla oils, and a hint of potpourri leatheriness on the mid-palate.
Finish: That potpourri vibe mellowing fades on the finish as vanilla and star fruit arrive with a sense of dried chili and star anise hint at black licorice and sarsaparilla bark on the dry end.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best Handy’s since the mid-2000s. It’s vibrant and floral, making it truly its own thing. This is the bottle you get when you want something unlike any other rye on the market.
5. Pursuit United Blended Straight Rye Whiskeys Finished in Sherry French Revere Oak
ABV: 54%
Average Price: $74
The Whiskey:
This new rye from the team over at Bourbon Pursuit is a masterful blend. The whiskey is hewn from Bardstown Bourbon Company’s 95/5 Kentucky rye batched with two Sagamore Spirit ryes — one a 95/5 and one 52/43/5 rye/corn/malted barley. Those whiskeys are batched and re-barreled into a French sherry revere cask for a final rest before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of dark fruits — black cherry, dates, rum raisin — on the nose that leads to soft and sweet oak next to worn leather, mulled wine, and brandy-soaked fig cut with nutmeg and clove.
Palate: The taste is more on the woody side of the spice with a clear sense of old-school mulled wine with sweet vanilla and star anise over orange rinds and raisins with a slight chili warmth underneath.
Finish: The chili warmth drives the finish toward a soft red-wine-soaked oak that’s spiced with orchard barks and fruits next to vanilla/cherry tobacco just kissed with dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
The team at Bourbon Pursuit made a masterpiece with this rye whiskey. After one sip, you’ll want more — so make sure to keep track of their amazing progress in 2024.
4. Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 57.2%
Average Price: $599
The Whiskey:
Angel’s Envy’s new Master Distiller, Owen Martin, put together the brand’s first-ever cask strength rye finished in Sauternes and toasted oak casks and it’s a masterpiece. The 95/5 rye was over five years old when it was batched and re-barreled into two different casks for a final mellowing. Then those casks were expertly blended and bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Creamy and deep creme brûlée cut with bold orange zest draws you in on the nose before this bright sense of sweet green apple blossom leads to pear brandy-soaked marzipan, eggnog spices, and buckwheat porridge cut with a whisper of salt and honey.
Palate: That pear brandy pops on the palate as sweetened cream over raw sugar cubes drives the taste toward rye bread with a twinge of caraway and fennel, more eggnog, and creamed honey in an old pine mug.
Finish: The end gets shockingly light for a moment with a fresh cream soda feel before twangy buttery floral cider arrives with a deep Earl Grey tea sharpness next to tobacco rolled with birch bark, roasting herbs, and old leather.
Bottom Line:
This is a phenomenal pour of rye whiskey. This is another one that’ll be hard not to kill in a weekend of slow sipping. Just make sure to try this in a really good Manhattan or old fashioned before you do kill the bottle. It’ll be amazing.
3. Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 10 Years Old
ABV: 46.4%
Average Price: $419
The Whiskey:
2023’s Michter’s 10-Year Rye release was 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:
Nose: Rich and lush toffee combines with soft marzipan on the nose as a dash of freshly cracked black pepper leads to cinnamon-laced apple cider and cherry-soaked cedar bark.
Palate: 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.
Finish: 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 was Michter’s best rye of the year. It’s perfect for siping slow, especially over a big rock. You’ll get this beautifully sweet/spicy fruity/nutty experience that’s so unique and delicious.
This is also the best Manhattan base on the list.
2. Jack Daniel’s Twice Barreled Special Release Tennessee Rye Whiskey Heritage Barrel Rye
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $203
The Whiskey:
This whiskey starts off with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye Whiskey which is hewn from a mash of 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley with Jack’s own yeast and lactobacillus strains. After a slow drip-drop filtering through 10 solid feet of sugar maple charcoal (which strips oily graininess and highlights sweet fruitiness, among other notes), the mellowed juice is filled into “Heritage Barrels.” Those barrels were seasoned in the open air for years. Once coopered, the American white oak barrels are heavily toasted and lightly charred. That toasting allows the sugars to caramelize and become more easily available to the distillate while the light char means less filtering as the whiskey moves in and out of the wood.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a deep sense of Christmas spiced cakes brimming with candied cherries and orange peels next to roasted walnuts and a moist strip of pear brandy-soaked marzipan with a light hint of homemade cranberry sauce, roasting herbs, and a light sense of fresh pipe tobacco just kissed with spicy chili-infused Mexican hot chocolate with a real vanilla pod as a swizzle stick.
Palate: That vanilla gets super creamy on the palate as eggnog with clove and nutmeg drive the taste back to candied pear, cherry, and orange with an underbelly of dry smudging sage, cedar bark, and tobacco leaves braided and rolled into an old cigar humidor with a sweet leathery edge.
Finish: The end marries the candied cherry, spiced chocolate, and vanilla buttercream into a bespoke Black Forest cake with a holiday spice vibe next to soft sweetgrass, more of those roasting herbs, and a whisper of dried ancho chili soaked in pear brandy that’s just kissed with huckleberry pie.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best Jack Daniel’s releases of the past few years. Period. It’s magical and just delicious from top to bottom. Buy a case.
1. Pride of Anderson County Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 58.4%
Average Price: $500
The Whiskey:
This elite whiskey is a collaboration between Rare Character’s Pablo Moix, Rare Bird 101’s David Jennings, and Wild Turkey’s Bruce Russell. The whiskey in the bottle is a single barrel of Wild Turkey rye that was distilled back in June of 2014 and left to age in the famed Tyrone rickhouse at Wild Turkey (on floor four if you want to get granular). That barrel was pulled in October of 2023 and bottled 100% as-is, making this highest-proof and only barrel-proof single-barrel Wild Turkey ever released.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark candied orange and brandied cherry jump out of the glass toward the nose as rich toffee rolled in almond and dusted with dark chocolate and a pinch of salt leads toward this sense of Earl Grey tea leaves soaked in dry champagne with this faint whisper of chinotto sneak in with a light effervescence.
Palate: The taste opens with a light fresh sourdough rye bread with hints of fennel and poppy seed before soft black peppercorns gently lead the palate toward candied lime and orange peels, vanilla buttercream, nutmeg and clove-spiked walnut bread, salted butter, and more of that champagne-soaked Earl Grey layered into a rich pipe tobacco leaf with a hint of worn saddle soap.
Finish: The spice leans into woody cinnamon barks, clove buds, allspice berries, and star anise with a moment of sarsaparilla wood before brandied cherries, pear compote with saffron, and apple fritters with powdered sugar icing meld into a lush vanilla-forward creamy eggnog with a whisper of peppermint and tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This might well be one of the best whiskeys of the last few years. It’s like finding buried treasure, your dreams coming true, and your whiskey wishes getting granted.
