Best Rye Whiskies for Winter (and Beyond)
Toast the Colder Months and Warm Yourself Body & Soul With These Top Rye Whiskies
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Bourbon in America is so noteworthy as to have an entire month set aside to celebrate its history and heritage (that’d be September, otherwise known as Bourbon National Heritage Month). But the best rye whiskey deserves its rightful time in the spotlight (and on your bar cart), and it’s got just as much history going for it as covetable bourbon.
That’s probably an understatement, as rye whiskey was produced in America even before the United States officially became a nation. Its geographical provenance is also every bit as noteworthy as, say, Scotch produced across the pond in various regions of Scotland. Rye whiskey historically hailed from places like Maryland and Pennsylvania, especially Pennsylvania — there, the first rye whiskey makers used the region’s natural crops to produce whiskies reminiscent of homelands like Germany.
Today, rye whiskey can be produced just about anywhere, as long as it features at least 51 percent rye grain, with a minimum proof of 80. There are designations like ‘straight rye’ whiskey to look out for as well, and some producers take the extra step of finishing their rye in additional barrels beyond traditional American white Oak.
RELATED: Best Scotch Whiskies for Fall and Winter
Either way, the best rye whiskies deliver pleasant spice, notes of chocolate or pepper at times, and the richness to stand up to being sipped on a large ice cube or enjoyed in an utterly classic cocktail like a Manhattan. And while it’s tough to select one favorite, this list ought to prove a worthwhile starting point.
Redemption Rye Whiskey
Redemption has made waves in the proverbial ocean of the whiskey world as of late with its expensive and simply fantastic 18-year bourbon, but don’t overlook the producer’s affordable yet no less excellent daily drinkers, in a manner of speaking. Priced at just a shade under $30, Redemption Rye clocks in at a sipping-friendly 92 proof, making it a wise choice in particular for all manner of rye cocktails. Yet, it's the high-rye mashbill that’s the star of this show, leaning heavily on a grain profile featuring 95 percent rye (well above the 51 percent requirement, of course). With a hearty nod to pre-Prohibition rye whiskey styles, this accessible rye is about as good as it gets.
Available at RedempionWhiskey.com
Old Overholt Rye
Every rye whiskey drinker’s journey has to start somewhere, and Old Overholt — with its pioneering Pennsylvania rye whiskey heritage and careful present-day stewardship under the James B. Beam Distilling Co. umbrella — is an outstanding place to start.
A favorite of bartenders and cocktail aficionados for its many uses, and its incredibly affordable price, Old Overholt’s rye is a truly classic example of the style, with rich deep amber color, pleasing spice and rye grain backbone aplenty. It also pairs quite well with an ice-cold beer (like a Miller High Life), another prized combination among bartenders and drinkers in search of a deal, but it’s best enjoyed in one of the many rye cocktails gracing watering holes across the land.
Rittenhouse Rye
In much the same way that a bar cart needs a reliable bourbon with an approachable profile (and price point), you could make the case that rye whiskey should follow suit. So, from low to high (in terms of price, not quality), there’s something to be said for a rye you can confidently pour and enjoy without hurting your wallet — or overdoing it on the proof.
Not unlike Old Overholt, Rittenhouse Rye is a tried-and-true staple rye, with notes of dry, sweet oak that call to mind its Kentucky home. At 100 proof, it’s the sort of rye whiskey that aims right down the fairway, so to speak, working wonders in a Manhattan while lending notes of mint, vanilla and pepper spice.
Sazerac Rye Full Proof
You’ll often find that some of the best whiskey producers, period, also excel at rye whiskey — it comes with the territory, but it’s a tricky balance to get right at times. That’s not a concern at Buffalo Trace, the company behind the famed Sazerac Rye and its timeless New Orleans heritage (you’ll recognize the name from the Sazerac cocktail, naturally).
Sazerac Rye Full Proof meets a need whiskey drinkers had been clamoring for (as often seems to be the case with all things Buffalo Trace). In this instance, it ramps up the ABV considerably from its 90-proof flagship and the recently launched Sazerac Rye 100-proof option.
This remarkable rye clocks in at 125 proof, with plenty of peppery spice notes and wonderful, lingering complexity. And as Buffalo Trace continues to expand operations, it’s a safe bet (and a fun prospect) to see how Sazerac and its other expressions will evolve in tasteful, spirited fashion.
Frey Ranch Straight Rye Whiskey
To visit Frey Ranch, a sprawling farm in a surprisingly fertile part of the country outside Reno, Nevada, is to take in an operation that moves like clockwork, humming along while producing some of the best grain-to-glass whiskey on the market.
As AskMen found out during a visit earlier this fall, Frey Ranch has the art of a circular whiskey-making ecosystem down to a T, resulting in standout spirits both more experimental and more straightforward, like its reliable and fantastic Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye. Founded by husband and wife team Colby and Ashley Frey on historical farmland with family roots, the venture produces a plethora of remarkable whiskey in its self-contained operation — once you try one Frey Ranch expression, you’ll assuredly want to seek out more.
Boasting a 100 percent single-grain mash bill and at least five years of time in the barrel, this award-winning 100 proof sipper is one of the best on the market, with a slew of international awards to prove it. Now, you’re bringing a sense of that history to your bar cart, and your whiskey collection is all the better for it.
2XO White Oak Rye
Pioneering whiskey maker and blender Dixon Dedman brings both a sense of luxury and a tasteful flair to the world of whiskey (recent 2XO releases draw inspiration from sneakerhead culture and the world of vinyl records).
So named for Dedman’s famed and rather remarkable double-barrel blending technique, 2XO takes things a step further with the release of the company’s first rye whiskey.
With touches of cedar and spice from additional time in charred white oak barrels, this spirit nails the distinctive rye profile while also delivering an ultra-luxe, smooth sipping experience. Look for this rye whiskey to feature a high-rye mashbill, and note that the company says it can be enjoyed in every variation possible: Neat, over a large ice cube or in a timeless whiskey cocktail.
Lock Stock & Barrel 25-Year Rye
While eye-popping age statements on whiskey are often thought of as the purview of Scotch producers, there are a number of rye and bourbon producers pushing those boundaries, as well (see: Recent examples like Knob Creek’s excellent 21-year bourbon).
But back to rye, one with quite the story: Lock Stock & Barrel is set to release this exquisite rye in January of next year, and it’s been a quarter-century in the making. Featuring Alberta grain and a 100 percent rye mashbill, the latest from Lock Stock & Barrel was aged in Canada, with distinctive maturation taking place thanks to cool northern climes.
The result is truly luxurious, with touches of cinnamon, toffee and honey, as AskMen found out during an exclusive New York City tasting this fall.
For now, it’s available for pre-order for the princely sum of $1,000, but it’s worth noting that Lock Stock & Barrel makes a number of other excellent whiskies at much lower (but still premium) price points.
Pre-order at LockStockAndBarrelSpirits.com
Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Rye Whiskey
At first glance, a double-barrel rye whiskey might seem a step too far — place the liquid for just a bit too long in select barrels, and you risk overpowering its natural beauty with too much oak. But Sagamore gets that tricky balance right, doing so in a fashion that honors its Maryland distilling heritage. An 18-month finish in toasted wave stave barrels nicely complements its 4-to-5-year aging process in new American oak, while the liquid is then brought down to proof using limestone-filtered water, another nod to the ways of the past.
Templeton 13-Year Rye Whiskey
Once you’ve completed what you might call your introductory crash course in the world of rye whiskey, you very well might want to level things up a touch. As in the world of bourbon, an age statement can be an impressive signature touch and a marker of quality (although again, too much time in the barrel might swing things in negative fashion, rather than resulting in one of the best rye whiskies).
But Templeton’s bold and flavorful 13-Year Rye gets the equation just right, with light notes of char and a luxe sipping experience worthy of its price tag and its limited-edition collectible box and packaging.
$169.99 at TempletonAmericanWhiskey.com
WhistlePig Small Batch 10-Year Rye
It’s hard to talk about the best rye whiskey on the modern market without talking about WhistlePig. The ever-innovative Vermont producer honed in on the rye market before it was fashionable, after all, and while they’ve experimented with whiskey as old as 30 years under the WhistlePig banner, don’t sleep on its flagship varieties, like this 10-year rye.
With provenance traceable to Canada (or the Great White North, as WhistlePig says), its first rye whiskey was re-aged in new American oak. This particular expression blends various straight rye whiskies and comes off as both slightly sweet and certainly nuanced, with bold rye and spice notes in every sip.
$79.99 at WhistlePigWhiskey.com
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