It’s December 23, and I’m going to try a new rye whiskey every day this month. And while my rye game is not as weak as my Scotch game was this time last year, I’m always up for suggestions on good rye whiskies. And now that I have goals (it’s good to have goals), there are some key players I could use your help finding. Send me your favorite, readily-available rye. Goals (abridged): 5 ryes. 4.5 stars. Readily available. (3/5, WT101, Whistlepig 10, Whistlepig 12) I want to recognize the difference between any bourbon and any rye. First try. One of these must be an Empire Rye. (1/1, Hudson) I want an insufficient rye. I want the one that tastes like a 2021 George T. Stagg. >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<< From the official website, to create an Empire Rye your juice must: 1) Have 75% New York grown rye in the mashbill (raw, malted, or total combined) 2) Be distilled to no more than 160 proof 3) Be barreled at no more than 115 proof 4) Be aged for at least 2 years in charred virgin oak barrels 5) ”Be mashed, fermented, distilled, barreled and aged at a single New York State distillery.” Note: UNLESS your just is blended. Then every component in the blend must be an Empire Rye. How does this differ from other American straight rye whiskies? 1) State restriction 2) Grain sourcing restriction 3) Requires 75% rye instead of just 51% 4) No more than 115 proof in the barrel instead of 125 proof Based on my reading, this makes every Empire Rye a straight rye, but not necessarily the other way around. On to drinking. Nose, body and finish is iron. Blood. Gravel. This is gross. Mild heat on the finish. Cinnamon. Cloves. That iron note dominates this drink. If there were complex notes in the peripheries, they’re dominated beyond recognition. When I breath in with and open mouth and then close, I still get that metal aftertaste 5 minutes since my last swig. I literally just poured this in the sink and am going to go chase this with something decent. This is poor man’s Journeymen. If that metal taste doesn’t bother you, this one might be fine for you. There is something in my DNA that rejects this flavor profile. Disclaimer: I am not judging Empire Ryes wholly, just this little guy. I’ve found this flavor profile that I hate in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and now New York. I actually love the concept of distinct, regionalized spirits like this, and I want more of them. Hudson just missed the mark here.