Community Favorites: Rye Whiskeys

Templeton Rye is a rye brand that was introduced in 2006. Distilled in Indiana by MGP (formerly Lawrenceburg Distillers of Indiana), the rye is made from a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% barley. The whiskey is bottled in Iowa after the addition of a "proprietary formula" as well as local purified water. Templeton broke ground on a distillery in Iowa in 2017 with plans to distill their own whiskey.

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.

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. The rye category's growing popularity has made this bottling difficult to keep in stock.

The mash bill used here is 70% rye, 20% corn, and 10% malted barley, all sourced from within 100 miles of Evanston, Illinois, where the distillery is located. Evanston was a dry county well past the end of Prohibition and alcohol wasn't allowed until 1972 when restaurants and hotels could finally sell liquor. FEW is the first distillery (or alcohol production of any sort) in the town's history.

Released in the middle of 2012 this small batch straight rye is the first from Knob Creek, and joins a line of ryes offered by its parent company Beam Global. Knob Creek Small Batch Rye is 'patiently aged' with a blend of up to 9 years old. Bottled at 100 proof. Note: As of March 31, 2023, Knob Creek has added an age statement of 7 years to this flagship Kentucky straight rye whiskey. Look for separate listing for details.

Catoctin Creek bills itself as the first Virginia distillery since Prohibition. Their Roundhouse Rye is made from 100% rye grain sourced locally whenever available. From the mashing to the aging all takes place at the distillery in Purcellville. Aged in new Minnesota oak for under two years. Bottled at 80 proof.

Copper Fox Original Rye Whiskey centers around using new and used apple wood and oak chips to flavor the house-made malt during drying as well as when the whiskey is aging in the used bourbon barrels. The mash bill itself is 2/3rd parts rye and 1/3rd malted barley with all grains sourced from Virginia.

Redemption Straight Rye is sourced from MGP in Indiana. It has a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% barley malt. The whiskey is aged for 2.5 years in new, charred American oak. Great for cocktails and over ice. Try in Manhattans, Chapel Hills or Whiskey Sours. Note: Updated packaging as of November 2016.

Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Straight Rye is matured in the deepest no. 4 char barrels. Aged for six years in the “center cut” of the rickhouse. It is hand-selected by Jimmy and Eddie Russell. Bottled at 45% ABV.

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 is bears no age statement, but is aged somewhere between 4-7 years. Bottled at 90 proof.