The Best American Rye Whiskeys

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.

As of early 2015, Woodford Reserve Rye is the latest member of the Woodford family of American whiskeys to join the party! Master Distiller Chris Morris has been working on this project since 2006, as an answer to fans who for many years have been requesting a rye from this historic distillery. It's made from a 53% rye mash bill, produced and aged at their distillery in Versailles, Kentucky.

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.

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Rye was released in February 2016 as part of the brand's Single Barrel Collection. It follows the release of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select and Barrel Proof. The mash bill is comprised of 70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley grain. Master Distiller Jeff Arnett created this expression using the same cave spring water, proprietary yeast, and charcoal-mellowing process as their 150-year-old Tennessee Whiskey recipe.

Knob Creek offers retailers the ability to select single barrel rye barrels to purchase and offer to its customers. Each bottle will display the retailer's information along with other pertinent bottle info such as barrel number, barreling date, and bottling date among other information. It is bottled at 115 proof.

New Riff Single Barrel Rye is made from a mash bill of 95% rye 5% malted rye. Each single barrel bottling is aged for 4 years in 53-gallon new, toasted and charred American oak barrels. Additionally, they are bottled at barrel proof without chill-filtration so expect to see variances in both flavor and proof with each barrel.

As a classic example of what's old is new again, Heaven Hill's Pikesville Rye is the relaunch of a brand that dates back to 1890s, originally produced in Maryland. Though Pikesville was shut down during Prohibition, it reemerged some time later and was the last bastion of Maryland rye production until the 1980s, when the brand was acquired by Heaven Hill and produced in Kentucky. This new incarnation of Pikesville is the work of master distiller Denny Potter, who has selected 3-grain recipe ryes aged a minimum of 6 years from barrels placed at higher elevations of the warehouse, bottled at high but not quite cask strength to retain the rye's character. Note: Heaven Hill is still producing the entry level 3 year old rye, this tasting note refers to the premium version.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye is a blend of 4, 6, and 8 year rye whiskeys. It is bottled at barrel proof, which will vary from batch to batch. For the first release, it is 56.1% ABV. Additionally, this is bottled without chill-filtration. Available nationwide as of summer 2020.

Released by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD), a family-owned independent bottler and producer, this small batch rye (source(s) not disclosed) is aged for four years. It's bottled at cask strength.

Angel’s Envy was founded in 2010 by master distiller Lincoln Henderson, creator of such brands as Woodford Reserve and Gentleman Jack during his time at Brown-Forman. Since his passing in 2013, his son Wes Henderson has been at the helm with his son Kyle working right alongside him. Following the success of its port barrel finished bourbon, the brand released a rye whiskey. This rum finished whiskey spends up to 18 months in Caribbean rum casks. It is bottled at 50% ABV. .