Van Winkle Family Reserve. I lived in Blue Grass Country, Kentucky (Also a certified Kentucky Col. by the Governor). You don't drink this. Get a very high quality cloth napkin and dip it into a few drops of the rye in a shot glass. Then retire to the veranda, sit in a cherry wood rocker, and just sniff it now and then ;^)
Best Rye Whiskey
- Thread starter MrSmith
- Start date
My favourite straight rye is, without hesitation, Rittenhouse 100 proof for both mixing and sipping; unfortunately this has proven quite difficult to find in Canada. My favourite Canadian whiskey (also know as rye, but generally a mix of corn, barley, and rye) is Wiser's Small Batch.
Bulleit Rye
I'm mostly a scotch drinker but....
Templeton small batch Rye is a good sipping whiskey.
Runs about $35 for 750ml
Templeton small batch Rye is a good sipping whiskey.
Runs about $35 for 750ml
Last night I cracked open my first bottle of High West Rendezvous, and I was mightily impressed. I understand it is a blend of 16 year old rye and 6 year old rye. I am a big fan of the rye, almost to the exclusion of everything else these days, and I found this one very nice. I have a Lot 40 and a Baby Sazerac that I'm looking forward to trying. The Baby Saz is really hard to find here in North Texas. I had to pay a bit more than I would have liked for it, but I had never tried it and wanted to. Hope it's worth it.
There have been a lot of votes here for Bulleit Rye and Rittenhouse Rye and I have to say both of these are great choices for an everyday sipper. Very affordable and very good.
There have been a lot of votes here for Bulleit Rye and Rittenhouse Rye and I have to say both of these are great choices for an everyday sipper. Very affordable and very good.
1. Pikesville Rye (although this may be hard to find outside of the US East Coast)
2. Old Overholt
3. Rittenhouse 100
2. Old Overholt
3. Rittenhouse 100
George dickel makes a surprisingly good rye for the money! seriously!
Wild Turkey 101
Being Canadian, I feel a bit "odd" not having much or any experience with Rye.
This from Wikipedia:
Golly.
There's probably not much rye in most of that Rye. (I've known this generally for a while, just getting some details rather than posting my foggy recollections.) For a while now I've had it on my list to get a bottle of Alberta Premium, though, to see what the real stuff is like.
- Thread starter
- #52
I want to thank everyone for chiming in. I finally was able to make the 120mile round trip to the liquor store and here is what I came back with:
Whistlepig 10yr Straight Rye: Yes this was a bit pricey, but from what I've gathered it will not be available on this island period. And will only be available in Oahu as a taster ("shots"), but not available to purchase a bottle. The girl that works the "local" liquor store actually brought back 3 bottles after visiting the farm and meeting with the crew. She had them stashed in the attic storage and only brought one out after I had mentioned them and we had talked for a bit. this will not be an "everyday" sipper, but probably will come out at least once a month. I have high hopes for this one.
1910 100% Canadian Rye: Reasonably priced and Canadian. I figured that I would see what Canada had to bring to the table, since rye has long been included in the Canadian Whiskeys. While its American resurgence is still in its "infancy". I know that there are some exceptions, so let the fiery darts and pitchforks fly!, if you will.
Hochstadter's Slow & Low: Once I read the description earlier in the thread ~ I knew I had to try this one. I really enjoy Grand Marnier and figured that this would be reminiscent of that flavor profile in a whiskey format. One of my favorite desserts is a nice slice of carrot cake and a double of Grand Marnier ~ Really good combo IMHO.
I checked for some of the "rarer" ones like Wild Turkey Rye 101, but to no avail. I will post my thoughts on these 3 (hopefully) unique Rye whiskeys once I've put away a few drams. Cheers!
Whistlepig 10yr Straight Rye: Yes this was a bit pricey, but from what I've gathered it will not be available on this island period. And will only be available in Oahu as a taster ("shots"), but not available to purchase a bottle. The girl that works the "local" liquor store actually brought back 3 bottles after visiting the farm and meeting with the crew. She had them stashed in the attic storage and only brought one out after I had mentioned them and we had talked for a bit. this will not be an "everyday" sipper, but probably will come out at least once a month. I have high hopes for this one.
1910 100% Canadian Rye: Reasonably priced and Canadian. I figured that I would see what Canada had to bring to the table, since rye has long been included in the Canadian Whiskeys. While its American resurgence is still in its "infancy". I know that there are some exceptions, so let the fiery darts and pitchforks fly!, if you will.
Hochstadter's Slow & Low: Once I read the description earlier in the thread ~ I knew I had to try this one. I really enjoy Grand Marnier and figured that this would be reminiscent of that flavor profile in a whiskey format. One of my favorite desserts is a nice slice of carrot cake and a double of Grand Marnier ~ Really good combo IMHO.
I checked for some of the "rarer" ones like Wild Turkey Rye 101, but to no avail. I will post my thoughts on these 3 (hopefully) unique Rye whiskeys once I've put away a few drams. Cheers!
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Good drinking, and be sure to let us know how you like them!!
- Thread starter
- #54
Decided I would start with the
1910:
First "cupping" impressions:
Light sipper. Strong vanilla & butterscotch on the nose with very little alcohol. Vanilla & butterscotch come alive in the mouth with charred oak, black pepper, and very subtle charcoal mid palate. Rye and green tobacco? jump off on the back of tongue on the swallow. Finishes dry. This one is a nice blend of sweet & spicy, easy drinker and smooth. The 80 proof may be the reason for the *noticeable* lack of alcohol notes. Overall Impression: A very easy drinker for those who might be a bit shy of the typical whiskey bite and enjoyable for those who like a balanced palate of sweet/spice ~ Probably not for those who want a punchy~bitey Rye Whiskey. I was expecting a bit more rye punch for my first Rye, but this could be a great starting point for the rye curious.
I might have to tweek this a bit as I get a few more tastes, but figure this gives a fairly accurate first impression.
1910:
First "cupping" impressions:
Light sipper. Strong vanilla & butterscotch on the nose with very little alcohol. Vanilla & butterscotch come alive in the mouth with charred oak, black pepper, and very subtle charcoal mid palate. Rye and green tobacco? jump off on the back of tongue on the swallow. Finishes dry. This one is a nice blend of sweet & spicy, easy drinker and smooth. The 80 proof may be the reason for the *noticeable* lack of alcohol notes. Overall Impression: A very easy drinker for those who might be a bit shy of the typical whiskey bite and enjoyable for those who like a balanced palate of sweet/spice ~ Probably not for those who want a punchy~bitey Rye Whiskey. I was expecting a bit more rye punch for my first Rye, but this could be a great starting point for the rye curious.
I might have to tweek this a bit as I get a few more tastes, but figure this gives a fairly accurate first impression.
- Thread starter
- #55
Well. To keep things going. Tonight was:
Hochstadter's Slow & Low:
Again ~ First "cupping" impressions:
Light, but not as light as the 1910. Noticeable honey and subtle orange & rye notes with the familiar whiskey note & alcohol on the nose. The citrus blooms a bit in the mouth and overthrows the more prominent honey note that was on the nose. Becomes a bit more one dimensional for me on the palate with quite subtle honey/simple syrup notes and strong orange; intermixed alcohol; barely perceptible oak with a slight hint of rye at the back of palate as the drink settles in the mouth. The swallow atomizes the orange back into the mouth and the rye lingers as an aftertaste. I feel like the honey has bonded with the rye and provides a backdrop for the orange as the main attraction here. The orange flavor lingers for some time in the mouth. It is quite what I expected, so I am not disappointed. The balance of flavors is not as deft as the 1910. I wouldn't recommend this to someone who is not a fan of Gran Marnier, or flavored whiskeys. Again ~ This is definitely not for the purists. I wish that the palette was as balanced as the nose is after a "rinse", but could easily find myself reaching for this for a long pour on the rocks and tweak it with some additions as the mood strikes. I would probably choose this over Grand Marnier as I enjoy the whiskey notes more than cognac.
I have a strong feeling that this one will open up its subtleties as I get into it more. (I had a similar one dimensional impression of Johnny Walker Double Black, as it has very strong smokey notes, but came to appreciate its nuances as I became accustomed to the char).
Hochstadter's Slow & Low:
Again ~ First "cupping" impressions:
Light, but not as light as the 1910. Noticeable honey and subtle orange & rye notes with the familiar whiskey note & alcohol on the nose. The citrus blooms a bit in the mouth and overthrows the more prominent honey note that was on the nose. Becomes a bit more one dimensional for me on the palate with quite subtle honey/simple syrup notes and strong orange; intermixed alcohol; barely perceptible oak with a slight hint of rye at the back of palate as the drink settles in the mouth. The swallow atomizes the orange back into the mouth and the rye lingers as an aftertaste. I feel like the honey has bonded with the rye and provides a backdrop for the orange as the main attraction here. The orange flavor lingers for some time in the mouth. It is quite what I expected, so I am not disappointed. The balance of flavors is not as deft as the 1910. I wouldn't recommend this to someone who is not a fan of Gran Marnier, or flavored whiskeys. Again ~ This is definitely not for the purists. I wish that the palette was as balanced as the nose is after a "rinse", but could easily find myself reaching for this for a long pour on the rocks and tweak it with some additions as the mood strikes. I would probably choose this over Grand Marnier as I enjoy the whiskey notes more than cognac.
I have a strong feeling that this one will open up its subtleties as I get into it more. (I had a similar one dimensional impression of Johnny Walker Double Black, as it has very strong smokey notes, but came to appreciate its nuances as I became accustomed to the char).
Low and slow is, if I am not mistaken, a pre-made Old Fashioned.
I enjoyed it the time I had it
I enjoyed it the time I had it
- Thread starter
- #57
Yes. I believe that you are right. Thank you for the knowledge. I've not really any experience with mixed drinks, so I wasn't familiar with that drink other than by name and was afraid to order one since I have an inherent belief that most bartenders are ignorant of the "classics" and as I had no idea of what an old fashioned was supposed to taste like; I would always shy away from ordering anything beyond what was on the menu or that I had previously experienced. (Sorry for the run-on sentence). I did enjoy the drink as it is what I expected, but simply found that the nose was more balanced (IMHO) than the palate. Thanks again for the chime-in.
I am a Templeton fan. The rye is readily available locally and can be quite reasonable in price. It may not be the "best" out there, but it is a nice drink and is a pretty cool success story for some ambitious and really nice guys.
- Thread starter
- #59
I have a whole list of rye's to check out if I get the chance. These three that I'm reviewing just happened to be the 3 that I could get locally and piqued my interest. I'll definitely be checking out some others when these start to run low. So update:
Tried the Low and Slow long pour over ice and was really good! The orange mellowed out and the flavors had a much better balance. Downside was that towards the end my drink was watery, so there was a bit of a trade off. Perhaps I should invest in some whiskey stones, since I normally drink everything neat.
Whistlepig:
On the nose - Vanilla, caramel, strong hints of rye, toffee, alcohol.
In the mouth and on the palate - When I take the drink into my mouth I get all of those sweet notes that were on the nose and then Wham! spicy, warm, hot rye and black pepper, alcohol. Then it mellows out into dark rye mid and back palate, vanilla, dark toffee (almost burnt toffee) and wafts of nutmeg lingering about.
The swallow has a rich and thick feel to it, almost creamy? The rye jumps off the back as was true with the others and leaves your mouth coated with a long spicy rye & dark toffee finish that makes you want to take that next sip.
Overall I like this one a lot. It has that Rye kick that I was waiting for. It has a strong rye flavor that is a bit complex as it transforms from marbled rye to dark rye with just enough sweetness to keep you coming back.
The 3 Rye Whiskeys mood meter:
1910: This could be an everyday drink. Easy on the palate, great balance of flavors, mild. Something light for those sweltering summer days, a quick night cap, more of a contemplative relaxed drink.
Low & Slow: For when you want something with a little holiday spirit, something over ice, or in lieu of dessert or aperitif. Could also be a contemplative drink, but some may find the orange and spice diverting rather than contemplative. So maybe pair up with a good book or a pipe.
Whistlepig: I could see this being a favorite during those cooler months, when I go camping, or for a late night card game with friends. It just feels like it wants to be set free and drank under a clear starlit night.
Well that's it! The first 3 of hopefully many more reviews. I'd love to hear what others impressions are of the three listed here. Cheers!
Tried the Low and Slow long pour over ice and was really good! The orange mellowed out and the flavors had a much better balance. Downside was that towards the end my drink was watery, so there was a bit of a trade off. Perhaps I should invest in some whiskey stones, since I normally drink everything neat.
Whistlepig:
On the nose - Vanilla, caramel, strong hints of rye, toffee, alcohol.
In the mouth and on the palate - When I take the drink into my mouth I get all of those sweet notes that were on the nose and then Wham! spicy, warm, hot rye and black pepper, alcohol. Then it mellows out into dark rye mid and back palate, vanilla, dark toffee (almost burnt toffee) and wafts of nutmeg lingering about.
The swallow has a rich and thick feel to it, almost creamy? The rye jumps off the back as was true with the others and leaves your mouth coated with a long spicy rye & dark toffee finish that makes you want to take that next sip.
Overall I like this one a lot. It has that Rye kick that I was waiting for. It has a strong rye flavor that is a bit complex as it transforms from marbled rye to dark rye with just enough sweetness to keep you coming back.
The 3 Rye Whiskeys mood meter:
1910: This could be an everyday drink. Easy on the palate, great balance of flavors, mild. Something light for those sweltering summer days, a quick night cap, more of a contemplative relaxed drink.
Low & Slow: For when you want something with a little holiday spirit, something over ice, or in lieu of dessert or aperitif. Could also be a contemplative drink, but some may find the orange and spice diverting rather than contemplative. So maybe pair up with a good book or a pipe.
Whistlepig: I could see this being a favorite during those cooler months, when I go camping, or for a late night card game with friends. It just feels like it wants to be set free and drank under a clear starlit night.
Well that's it! The first 3 of hopefully many more reviews. I'd love to hear what others impressions are of the three listed here. Cheers!
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