Best Rye Whiskey for Cocktails

Introduced in March of 2011, Bulleit Rye is made from a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. It is a sourced rye distilled at Indiana's famed MGP facility. This straight rye whiskey bears no age statement, but is aged somewhere between 4-7 years. Bottled at 90 proof.

Wild Turkey is known to have a lower entry-proof, meaning the product is a lower proof as it comes off the still and goes into the barrel. That lower entry proof carries more flavor from the mash and gives Wild Turkey products a bit distinct flavor. Although Wild Turkey Rye 101 lacks an age statement, you’ll find that the whiskey in the bottle is roughly 6-7 years old that has been rested in charred new American oak barrels in rickhouses in Lawrenceberg, KY

George Dickel Rye is distilled at the MGP distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. It's produced with a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley before it is aged for 5 years in new, charred American oak. It is finished with the signature Dickel sugar-maple charcoal filtration and bottled at 90 proof.

Launching February 2019, Old Forester Rye is the first new mash bill for the brand in 150 years. It is inspired by a historic recipe for Normandy Rye, a brand acquired by Brown-Forman in 1940. It has a mash bill of 65% rye, 20% malted barley, and 15% corn -- a fairly higher amount of malted barley than is typically seen in a rye. This Kentucky Straight Rye is bottled at 100 proof.

Launched in September 2023, this is the third release in the brand's Bonded Series and the first bottled in bond rye whiskey released in its history. Like the other rye whiskeys in its portfolio, this is made with a mash bill recipe of 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley. It was charcoal mellowed prior to aging in new toasted & charred American oak barrels. It was made in one distilling season (the first batch was distilled in spring 2016) and was aged for a minimum of 4 years in a government bonded warehouse. It is bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV). This is a permanent addition to the brand's portfolio. (SRP $31.99/700ml)

This is a blend of two straight rye whiskeys (hence the name) with ages ranging from 2-7 years. One rye was distilled at MGP in Indiana (mash bill: 95% rye and 5% barley malt). The second was distilled at High West (mash bill: 80% rye and 20% malted rye). Double Rye is bottled non-chill-filtered and at 92 proof. Note: This formerly included a 16 year-old straight rye from Barton Distillery in Kentucky (mash bill: 53% rye and 37% corn) instead of the High West distillate.

Rittenhouse is a brand under Heaven Hill's portfolio. This rye whiskey is made from a mash bill of 51% rye, 35% corn, and 14% malted barley. Produced according to bottled-in-bond regulations, this is the product of one distilling season and is aged a minimum of 4 years. It's bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV).

While Michter’s can trace its roots back to Pennsylvania in the 18th century, today it boasts two distilleries in Kentucky. This Kentucky Straight Rye bottling is offered as a single barrel expression so slight variations may occur from barrel to barrel. Aged in fire-charred new, American white oak barrels, this is bottled at 42.4% ABV.

Named after the Sazerac Coffee House on Royal Street in New Orleans (and subsequently the cocktail), Sazerac Rye is produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. It is aged from four to six years and formerly had an age statement of six years. It's bottled at 90 proof.

Knob Creek has added an age statement to its flagship Kentucky straight rye whiskey. Now guaranteed to be at least 7 years in new, charred American oak barrels, it is still bottled at 100 proof. Available as of March 31, 2023 nationwide. (SRP $36.99)