The Best Everyday Ryes for Your Home Bar

If you fancy yourself a decent mixologist at home, then chances are you’ve come to love and appreciate a great rye whiskey. Cocktails come alive when you’re playing around with rye, and the wonderfully spicy notes and subtle sweetness really take a classic like the Old Fashioned to a new level.

I’m not telling you to abandon your bourbon anytime soon, but it’s nice to keep some rye options on hand for someone who might prefer a knotty nightcap over a sweet dream.

Here are six solid everyday rye whiskeys you should have on your home bar. Most of them should be easy to find at your local liquor store, and I purposely tried to keep them affordable and reliable. Once you dip your toes into the wide world of rye whiskey, it’s fun to explore some of the top-shelf options like, say, Angel’s Envy Rye, but we’ll save those for another article.

Rittenhouse Bottled-In-Bond Straight Rye Whisky

Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-In-Bond

MSRP $26.99 | 100 Proof

Bartenders love Rittenhouse Rye, and so should you. The Heaven Hill-made rye whiskey is versatile and very good in classic cocktails — plus, it’s inexpensive and usually easy to find. The brand started as a Pennsylvania-style rye after Prohibition and was made in Philadelphia. Heaven Hill acquired it in 1999 and honored its past by making it Bottled-In-Bond. Now the 100-proof rye is a staple behind most cocktail bars across the country.

Tasting Notes: For all the heat and spiciness, Rittenhouse also has a softer side that bourbon lovers can get down with. On the nose, I get citrus, toffee, and maple notes, but once you take that first sip, you get a rush of black pepper heat, cinnamon, and nutmeg — and also a little creamy vanilla and brown sugar to cool things off. The finish is long and tingly with a hint of maple and cinnamon.

Green River Rye

MSRP $34.99 | 95 Proof

Green River has made a solid name for itself these last few years, and when this 95-5 (95% rye, 5% malted barley) rye whiskey recipe launched earlier this year, I knew I had to have it on my bar. Green River is all about affordability without sacrificing quality, and this release is a great example of that. It’s a blend of 4-to-6-year-old whiskey made at the historic distillery in Owensboro, Ky., and bottled at 95 proof.

Tasting Notes: There’s no corn in here, folks, but yet somehow it still possesses some amazing sweetness among the spicy rye. On the nose, I get baked cherry, oak, and a drizzle of caramel, and on the palate, I get citrus, black pepper, of course, a nuttiness that reminds me of roasted almonds, and a hint of vanilla and oak. The finish is short, with herbal and grassy notes from the rye and more of that oak.

Sagamore Rye Whiskey Small Batch

MSRP $39.99 | 93 Proof

This is Maryland-style rye whiskey at its finest, and if you’re looking for a robust example of rye done right, look no further. It’s a blend of 4-to-6-year-old whiskeys from two different mash bills — a high-rye and a low-rye recipe — and all of the whiskey for this release was distilled at the Baltimore distillery. The “small batch” consists of 20 barrels, according to the label. Sagamore is a leading producer of rye whiskey in the market for a reason.

Tasting Notes: At 93 proof and non-chill filtered, I get a tremendous amount of cinnamon apple on the nose and palate. The taste is also a medley of baking spices, lingering black pepper, and soft, sweet hints of vanilla and caramel from the oak. The finish also lingers with notes of honey-drizzled green apple.

Michter’s US1 Rye Whiskey

MSRP $41.99 | 84.8 Proof

This one made the list because it’s a solid sipper and one of the lower proof options in the rye whiskey category. Not all rye has to go into cocktails, of course, and it can be enjoyed slowly and mindfully just like bourbon. It’s also bottled as a single barrel, which makes the subtle notes and flavors that more interesting to examine, since they could change from barrel to barrel. That being said, this Michter’s makes a great lower-proof Manhattan as well.

Tasting Notes: When swirling this around in a glass, you’ll notice a nice viscosity that isn’t typically present in most ryes. That might have something to do with Michter’s low entry proof, and I would guess there also is some corn in this mash bill, although the company doesn’t disclose that information. On the nose, I get citrus and oak notes. And on the palate, that creamy mouthfeel gives way to some butterscotch notes, vanilla, and, of course, flashes of black pepper from the rye. There’s even a little cinnamon and mint on the lingering finish.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye Whiskey

MSRP $59.99 | 112.2 Proof

Wild Turkey makes great rye whiskeys (whether it’s 101 or Russell’s Reserve), and this barrel-proof blend is one of my favorites. It’s a little pricier than the others on this list, but taste-wise I think it’s a great value in today’s market. I wouldn’t go throw it in a cocktail or anything. It’s a sipping whiskey that should be savored and appreciated.

Tasting Notes: This whiskey reminds me of a fall festival from start to finish. I get caramel apple on the nose, followed by cinnamon, black pepper, and even a little smoke from the charred oak barrels. At barrel proof and non-chill filtered, it’s got some nice creaminess to it as well, with finish full of baking spices, almonds, and more black pepper.

Stauning Rye Whisky

MSRP $59.99 | 96 Proof

I included this Danish rye whiskey on the list because it’s just so different than the others — in a good way! I tried Stauning recently at Tales of the Cocktail and have been thinking about it ever since. The Denmark-grown malted rye adds so much texture and flavor to the whiskey, it’s almost like you’re chewing it with every sip. This whiskey is made on direct-fired copper pot stills and then put into new American charred-oak barrels just like our ryes, and the result is sippin’ whiskey perfect for a fall bonfire.

Tasting Notes: I don’t have a sample here in front of me, but what I recall from the tasting a few weeks ago was a nice balance of black pepper, oak, and red fruit, all smeared onto a piece of toasted rye bread. You’ll need to employ the Kentucky Chew to truly enjoy this one.