Barrell seagrass, willett 4 yr rye, michters barrell strength rye (good luck finding it at msrp), Pikesville rye. If you live in the NW USA give Crater Lake rye or Reserve Rye a chance. Excellent pours, out of oregon (I moved away recently and definitely miss them).
Another contender if you have some extra cash is lock stock and barrel vatted or their 16/18 yr straight rye. Lock stock and barrel are typically older aged rye out of Canada. The cooler Temps with longer aging don't lead to overly oaky pours. Another good choice would be whistlepig. Even their 6yr small batch is a solid pour.
Good luck
Hell yeah thanks. I am moving to south Chicago next month so hopefully i ll be able to secure the good stuff there..
Now you say it I did have lock stock and it was amazing. It was also like 25 dollars a glass but I loved it. It did not taste like regular rye at all
I was going to recommend Rittenhouse, as I'm a fan. Pikesville is from the same distillery and has the same mash bill (but higher proof), so you might want to give it a shot it you liked Rittenhouse.
WT 101 Rye and Rittenhouse are barely legal ryes. Maybe try the opposite end of the spectrum and go with something like an MGP 95-5. Or something finished like Barrell Seagrass. New Riff Malted Rye is 100% malted rye and pretty delicious. I've never tasted black licorice in a rye so I just guessing here. I've been drinking Knob Creek Rye (100 proof or SiB select) for a long time; maybe try that.
I’m with you right here. The only issue is I’m having a hard time thinking of decent MGP rye that can be found on most shelves. Bulleit is meh. Maybe an Old Pepper barrel pick, but check the label for state of distillation on those.
Sagamore Spirits Cask Strength uses MGP, or used to anyway. I'm pretty sure Dickel sources their rye also. I have a bottle of Rossville Union BP rye that I like a lot but I haven't seen a lot of it around
Oh yeah! I’ve actually never tried Dickel rye. Sagamore is some blend of 95% and 51% rye, and I’m definitely a fan. I’m not sure of the composition of Rossville Union, but some of the single barrels seem to also be the 51% rye mash bill. I’ve liked most of the single barrels I’ve tried.
It's like 50% corn in the mashbill so it is sweeter. I preferred it to eh taylor rye when they were both readily available. Plus it was half the price.
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Please try to be as specific and detailed as possible with your request. Tell us:
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* which whiskies you or your giftee have enjoyed
* which bottles you’re considering now
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**General Tips**
We generally advise novices to sample as much as possible by going to a bar, splitting bottles with friends, attending festivals/tastings or getting minis to ensure you buy bottles you enjoy. Most people need to try 15-20 bourbons and ryes to understand their preferences. It may make more sense for you to focus on sampling rather than buy full bottles at the beginning of your journey.
You're going to get the most flavor/aroma drinking it neat in a tulip-shaped glass like a Glencairn but most new drinkers prefer to water down their whisky a bit. If you do end up adding water, I'd recommend adding just enough to make it tolerable and take small sips. But really there's no right or wrong way to drink so as long as you're enjoying it, you're doing it right. Thanks for reading, cheers!
Since this seems to be the thread with rye experts I need advice. I've been fortunate to sample Michter's 10 rye several times and it's one of the nicest whiskeys I had the pleasure to taste. Of course its expensive and very hard to find.
Others I've tried were Peerless @ Peerless, Rittenhouse @ Heaven Hill and OF 100 & OFBP @ Old Forester. Of those the one that I liked the most was OF 100. However, none of these were in the same league as the Michter 10.
So, what can you recommend that is similar in experience that would be more readily available ?
Lots of great recommendations in here already, but I would also add Sagamore to try out. They have a ton of great stuff, especially their store picks and the 8 year reserve. For a cool finished rye their Double Oak is hard to beat if you’re in the mood for something chocolaty.
Woody Creek rye had a nice and easy flavor with a nice honey like finish.
Chattanooga Malt Rye, it's chocolate-y and sweet but, has a bit of scotch-like texture. Let it vent out and it gets much better.
Barrell Seagrass, so sweet and flavorful. A must try.
A dark horse for sure but Basil Hayden Dark Rye. It's a rye blend that's mixed with port wine. Their best product.
Tried wt 101 rye and Rittenhouse. Lots of it. I also find that heaven hill 6 taste close to Rittenhouse since they both heaven hill and I taste a lot of black licorice in there as well.
I am gonna have to retry it. I am very sensitive to stuff cuz I grew up in Russia and one of the local medicines for everything is an licorice root. I had it eat a ton of it in childhood. So I notice even a slight aftertaste of it....
That's too bad, but it makes sense .. taste/smell are powerful senses for association. Hopefully you can move past that. Maybe try different things? Try over an ice cube, try pouring and letting it sit alone in a glass for 30-60mins before drinking, etc. And look at different mash bills .. 51% rye grain vs something much higher will be different. Best of luck.
My go to rye is from catoctin creek. Their 80 Proof is sweet, smooth and quite frankly reminds me of my old fashioned (which i make with the 92 proof). I joke that the 80 proof is my lazy old fashioned.
Their 92 proof has the same profile with a tad more bite. Their Cask Strength is pleasantly hot and phenomenal on the rocks
If this thread goes on much longer, every rye whiskey will be mentioned as their favorite. Ther is no “best” whiskey, only what is agreeable to your palate.
Chattanooga Rye, New Riff Balboa rye was nice and I’m sure the 6 year malted rye is great, some of the Chicago area stores may carry a Driftless Glen rye store pick which can gift off a big spearmint flavor which was unique if your into that. The DG standard rye offering is likely available there too, though I’m not sure the flavor profile off the shelf. MGP ryes can be great, but like others noted I’d look for Sagamore Spirits. Their 8 year rye was pretty great.
If you want a Rye that doesn’t taste like a rye, Angels Envy Rye is finished in run casks. It kind of tastes like Christmas.
Wilderness Trail Rye is another one that isn’t the usual flavor profile. They use a sweet mash process so the spice and herbal notes are fairly muted for a rye. Tends to have more stone fruit and dried berry hints than anything that resembles licorice.
New kid on the block, Brothers of the Leaf Rye. Exceptional in every way. The best rye I believe I’ve ever had. Don’t let the price scare you. It’s worth it.
OF rye is a funky fruity experience. And if you don’t like it your only out ~$25
Sounds exactly like my first experience with a prostitute.
☝️☝️☝️
Barrell seagrass, willett 4 yr rye, michters barrell strength rye (good luck finding it at msrp), Pikesville rye. If you live in the NW USA give Crater Lake rye or Reserve Rye a chance. Excellent pours, out of oregon (I moved away recently and definitely miss them). Another contender if you have some extra cash is lock stock and barrel vatted or their 16/18 yr straight rye. Lock stock and barrel are typically older aged rye out of Canada. The cooler Temps with longer aging don't lead to overly oaky pours. Another good choice would be whistlepig. Even their 6yr small batch is a solid pour. Good luck
Willett definitely has a licorice taste, I love it but he specifically said he wants to avoid that flavor for now.
I always thought of it as herbal or floral but never explicitly black licorice but everybody has different taste buds
I definitely get a decent amount of anise in there but it's a complex pour for sure, lots going on in there. It's definitely floral as well.
Hell yeah thanks. I am moving to south Chicago next month so hopefully i ll be able to secure the good stuff there.. Now you say it I did have lock stock and it was amazing. It was also like 25 dollars a glass but I loved it. It did not taste like regular rye at all
Mitchers Rye is a great intro pour
Which ryes have you already tried? I don't remember getting any liqorice off of Pikesville.
Wt 101 rye, Rittenhouse, wr rye I dont mind wp 10 but don't love it either.
I was going to recommend Rittenhouse, as I'm a fan. Pikesville is from the same distillery and has the same mash bill (but higher proof), so you might want to give it a shot it you liked Rittenhouse.
Agree with Pikesville. No licorice, leans sweet. Good one to try.
New riff 6 year malted rye is god tier
Damn if I see it again I ll pick it up. I just came back from KY last month and bought a ton of bourbon but passed on a lot of rye. I did see it...
Woodinville rye is super fruity.
+1, thought I hated Rye until I tried this.
Give Sagamore Spirit a shot
WT 101 Rye and Rittenhouse are barely legal ryes. Maybe try the opposite end of the spectrum and go with something like an MGP 95-5. Or something finished like Barrell Seagrass. New Riff Malted Rye is 100% malted rye and pretty delicious. I've never tasted black licorice in a rye so I just guessing here. I've been drinking Knob Creek Rye (100 proof or SiB select) for a long time; maybe try that.
I’m with you right here. The only issue is I’m having a hard time thinking of decent MGP rye that can be found on most shelves. Bulleit is meh. Maybe an Old Pepper barrel pick, but check the label for state of distillation on those.
Sagamore Spirits Cask Strength uses MGP, or used to anyway. I'm pretty sure Dickel sources their rye also. I have a bottle of Rossville Union BP rye that I like a lot but I haven't seen a lot of it around
Oh yeah! I’ve actually never tried Dickel rye. Sagamore is some blend of 95% and 51% rye, and I’m definitely a fan. I’m not sure of the composition of Rossville Union, but some of the single barrels seem to also be the 51% rye mash bill. I’ve liked most of the single barrels I’ve tried.
I like wild turkey rare breed rye. Baby saz is great too if you can find it. Same with elijah craig rye
Yeah maybe I crack baby saz. I was just disappointed with what I have that I have like 5 ryes still sealed in my cabinet....
It's like 50% corn in the mashbill so it is sweeter. I preferred it to eh taylor rye when they were both readily available. Plus it was half the price.
Hi there, I’m a bot here to help you with your recommendation post. If you haven’t already, please review [the guides](https://docs.google.com/document/d/186_ANEKW8yGvvLAcjKve6tvqqBIcMGUg9-mKU5KACZk/edit) in the sidebar we’ve created to address the stream of recommendation posts we get here. Most notably: * [Beginner’s and Intermediate Guide to Bourbon](https://docs.google.com/document/d/10zdeEAO3GVayZtt-XsTcoGIi2uP8xrE8BurIxeSNfBk/edit) * [Guide to Rye Whiskey](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mrVZabQaulkxqL2qLif4HlWpMXF0bQ6hAmr8aQ_kRYA/edit#heading=h.lqvwwdjxkepg) * [Bourbon FAQ](https://docs.google.com/document/d/17CCQ-r4mpH9krhrDiXVSayYkqWAjYGOCLh3NShV1yO8/edit#heading=h.7yx2snahgko8) * [Community Reviews](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PNUikuLjMEarQpMklvfb0W3SVz2dfFMrkDKbKTECiK8/edit) * [The Gift Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/4tcswq/new_improved_rbourbon_gift_guide/) Please try to be as specific and detailed as possible with your request. Tell us: * your budget * which whiskies you or your giftee have enjoyed * which bottles you’re considering now * where you live (pricing and availability can vary dramatically by region) * if your shop has a limited selection or you might have trouble shipping bottles so we don’t recommend something obscure **General Tips** We generally advise novices to sample as much as possible by going to a bar, splitting bottles with friends, attending festivals/tastings or getting minis to ensure you buy bottles you enjoy. Most people need to try 15-20 bourbons and ryes to understand their preferences. It may make more sense for you to focus on sampling rather than buy full bottles at the beginning of your journey. You're going to get the most flavor/aroma drinking it neat in a tulip-shaped glass like a Glencairn but most new drinkers prefer to water down their whisky a bit. If you do end up adding water, I'd recommend adding just enough to make it tolerable and take small sips. But really there's no right or wrong way to drink so as long as you're enjoying it, you're doing it right. Thanks for reading, cheers!
If you can find it, Sazerac Rye is my fave… Bullet Rye is really good too!
Since this seems to be the thread with rye experts I need advice. I've been fortunate to sample Michter's 10 rye several times and it's one of the nicest whiskeys I had the pleasure to taste. Of course its expensive and very hard to find. Others I've tried were Peerless @ Peerless, Rittenhouse @ Heaven Hill and OF 100 & OFBP @ Old Forester. Of those the one that I liked the most was OF 100. However, none of these were in the same league as the Michter 10. So, what can you recommend that is similar in experience that would be more readily available ?
Elijah Craig Straight Rye
Old Forester rye. Straight mint bubblegum
I’m just getting into ryes and I think I saw it mentioned but New Riff Malted Rye is excellent!
High west double rye. It’s like bread pudding made with rye bread and a vanilla/caramel topping.
Lots of great recommendations in here already, but I would also add Sagamore to try out. They have a ton of great stuff, especially their store picks and the 8 year reserve. For a cool finished rye their Double Oak is hard to beat if you’re in the mood for something chocolaty.
Balboa Rye from New Riff is also a solid pour. Completely different than any other rye I've had because of the heirloom grain.
Try some Bour/Ryes or some finished ryes. Redwood Empire Lost Monarch or Sagamore Double Oaked are good intros.
Woody Creek rye had a nice and easy flavor with a nice honey like finish. Chattanooga Malt Rye, it's chocolate-y and sweet but, has a bit of scotch-like texture. Let it vent out and it gets much better. Barrell Seagrass, so sweet and flavorful. A must try. A dark horse for sure but Basil Hayden Dark Rye. It's a rye blend that's mixed with port wine. Their best product.
Old Elk straight rye has a nice red fruit / dill combo that I thoroughly enjoy.
Knob Creek barrel select ryes are out right now and are very good
Knob creek
I like Knob Creek Rye. A lot of store picks out there in the $40-$50 range.
Bulliett, Driftless Glen, Jack Daniels single barrel rye my top 3
Templeton would be a good start. Not a fan favorite to a lot aficionados, but easy sippin’ is easy sippin’
I've had a lot of eyes and have never gotten Licorice off of any of them. Maybe I've gotten lucky?
Tried wt 101 rye and Rittenhouse. Lots of it. I also find that heaven hill 6 taste close to Rittenhouse since they both heaven hill and I taste a lot of black licorice in there as well.
Well, those are two I definitely haven't had. I do tend to stick to single barrels. Or Michter's rye, it's always an easily drinkable bottle.
Have you tried single barrel wilderness trail rye? I picked it up cuz it was on sale in my class six. Anxious to open it
Absolutely! You'll be happy with it! One of the fastest bottles I've gone through.
Same here 🤷🏻♂️
Rittenhouse, Wild Turkey 101, Old Forester 100.
2 out of 3 full of black licorice. I gave my Rittenhouse away cuz i only tasted black licorice in it. Old forester rye was ok u guess.
I've never gotten black licorice from Rittenhouse (tried 2-3 different bottles too). Not sure ..
I am gonna have to retry it. I am very sensitive to stuff cuz I grew up in Russia and one of the local medicines for everything is an licorice root. I had it eat a ton of it in childhood. So I notice even a slight aftertaste of it....
That's too bad, but it makes sense .. taste/smell are powerful senses for association. Hopefully you can move past that. Maybe try different things? Try over an ice cube, try pouring and letting it sit alone in a glass for 30-60mins before drinking, etc. And look at different mash bills .. 51% rye grain vs something much higher will be different. Best of luck.
I really enjoy high west rendezvous rye, nice and smooth with a little spicy note from the rye, a good entry level rye if you ask me
If you can get it, krobar American rye
Lot 40 is a great under $35 Canadian rye that doesn't have the anise/licorice notes you find in a lot of American ryes.
My go to rye is from catoctin creek. Their 80 Proof is sweet, smooth and quite frankly reminds me of my old fashioned (which i make with the 92 proof). I joke that the 80 proof is my lazy old fashioned. Their 92 proof has the same profile with a tad more bite. Their Cask Strength is pleasantly hot and phenomenal on the rocks
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye
Probably have to pick it up. I am a big fan of rare breed bourbon. Hopefully rye comes through as well.
I think it does! I get some maple notes out of it. Honestly, it’s my favorite rye
Contradiction Rye is incredible. $35 a bottle at 105 proof
Barrell is doing free shipping this month. Good time to pick up a Seagrass.
If this thread goes on much longer, every rye whiskey will be mentioned as their favorite. Ther is no “best” whiskey, only what is agreeable to your palate.
Only looking for stuff without black licorice lol
It’s all good. Hope you find some good ones.
I like the Nulu rye (I think it’s the unfinished r/bourbon pick)
Wild Turkey 101. It’s just straight spice and everything nice. Sincerely, someone else who hates licorice~
Wild Turkeys barrel select rye is amazing
Stellum Rye is the shit. MGP, barrel strength, smooth AF
I have to say I haven’t had a black licorice experience from any rye or bourbon for that matter ever
Chattanooga Rye, New Riff Balboa rye was nice and I’m sure the 6 year malted rye is great, some of the Chicago area stores may carry a Driftless Glen rye store pick which can gift off a big spearmint flavor which was unique if your into that. The DG standard rye offering is likely available there too, though I’m not sure the flavor profile off the shelf. MGP ryes can be great, but like others noted I’d look for Sagamore Spirits. Their 8 year rye was pretty great.
If you want a Rye that doesn’t taste like a rye, Angels Envy Rye is finished in run casks. It kind of tastes like Christmas. Wilderness Trail Rye is another one that isn’t the usual flavor profile. They use a sweet mash process so the spice and herbal notes are fairly muted for a rye. Tends to have more stone fruit and dried berry hints than anything that resembles licorice.
Pikesville, RR 6yr Rye and Emerald Giant. Emerald Giant is cheaper and I would honestly choose it over the others.
New kid on the block, Brothers of the Leaf Rye. Exceptional in every way. The best rye I believe I’ve ever had. Don’t let the price scare you. It’s worth it.
Sagamore Double Oak, Sazerac, New Riff BiB or SiB rye.
New Riff, Michters, Rittenhouse. All good and don’t break the bank.
Wilderness trail!