There’s never been a better time to be an American rye lover, with rye whiskey coming from across the country. These ryes run the flavor gamut, given that the style has blossomed over the past decade beyond straight rye to include bottled in bond, cask-strength, and barrel-finished variants. Many rye mashbills are at play, too; whereas the 95/5 recipe from MGP once ruled the day, there are now whiskey makers leaning into the style by way of 100% rye mashbills, and others still who operate at the opposite end of the spectrum, with expressions of 51% rye that highlight the softer, sweeter sides of the grain. We’ve rounded up five American ryes that represent just how diverse this style can be (and at prices that don’t break the bank).
92 points - Corbin Cash Merced Rye Small Batch, 45%, $55
Farm distillers, the Souza family, have worked their Central Valley, California farm since 1917 and began distilling in 2007, with a focus on rye. Small Batch rye offers sweet but balanced flavors of dark berries, savory rye spice, espresso, and cocoa powder.
92 points - New York Distilling Co. Jaywalk Bonded, 50%, $55
New York Distilling Co.’s Jaywalk Distillery is located in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood. For this label, it aged Horton and Field Race heirloom ryes for 6, 7, and 8 years. Peppery and spicy but sweet, with grape jelly, banana bread, cinnamon, and dark chocolate.
91 points - Minden Mill 4 year old, 47%, $45
One of the three inaugural releases from Foley Family Wines Co.’s Nevada-based Minden Mill Distillery, formerly known as Bently Heritage Distillery. The 4 year old rye has well-balanced bakery flavors of fresh pastry, oatmeal raisin cookie, and spice.
91 points - Three Chord Amburana & Cherry Bounce Barrel Finished Cask Strength, 58.2%, $60
A blend of 60% 6 year old Indiana rye finished for 2 months in amburana barrels, and 40% 6 year old Kentucky rye finished in cherry bounce barrels. Amburana can be overwhelming, but that’s not the case here. Its flavors of simple syrup and cinnamon sugar meld with fresh red fruit, cherry cola, whipped cream, and vanilla soft serve.
90 points - SirDavis Sherry Cask Finished, 44%, $89
This label is Beyoncé-owned, but whether you’re a fan of her music or not, you might be a fan of her whiskey. Its 51% rye and 49% malted barley mashbill is mild-mannered for a rye, led by a silky-smooth mouthfeel that brings sweet flavors of dried cherries and candied nuts alongside earthier notes of rye bread.
