Welcome to the new straight rye expression from Nelson Brothers and Green Brier Distillery – a non-age stated bottle that comes in at 92.5 proof, retails for around $40, and is distilled in Kentucky (not TN).

Jack Daniel’s is back with an all-new third bonded installment – Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye. This bonded rye meets the the classic bottled-in-bond qualifications and promises to explore a new territory for the venerable brand.

Introduced in 2020, Elijah Craig rye is a barely legal rye with a mashbill featuring only 51% rye (the legal limit), which aims this squarely at the bourbon crowd looking to branch out into the rye world. And with an MSRP of around $30, a solid 94 proof, and widespread availability, is this the budget rye to have on your bar cart??

One of the newest expressions from Whistlepig is this 6 year Piggyback Rye which features a 100% rye mashbill, a solid 96.56 proof, and a mission to take your cocktails up to the next level. This was also the last expression that Dave Pickerell was involved in (RIP) and features a small tribute to him on the bottle in the form of his signature Stetson hat. But at $50, is this a rye worth getting excited about? Let’s dive in to find out.

Three Chord Bourbon is trying to buck the trends in the exploding celebrity whiskey scene with products designed with the enthusiast in mind. Their Amplify Rye is their first rye product and promises a youthful take on a 95% rye recipe.

If American whiskey is your thing, you’ve no doubt heard of New Riff. The new kids on the block have burst onto the scene to all kinds of fanfare. With an entire lineup of products distilled in-house at their distillery in Newport, Kentucky, New Riff seems hellbent on giving the titans of Kentucky whiskey a run for their money.

With an MSRP of around $200, this 100% rye whiskey is an ode to the past, harkening back to a time where rye whiskey dominated the US and Canada markets, blending farm to bottle craft techniques with extra aged products that aim to cement a truly premium place for rye whisky in the marketplace. In the words of WhistlePig themselves…

Whistlepig 12-year promises a completely different drinking experience than traditional ryes through its complicated finishing process that involves a combination of Madeira, Sauternes, and Port Casks. Specifically, Whistlepig takes a 12-year 95% Canadian rye and finishes 63% of it in Madeira casks, 30% in Sauternes casks, and the remaining 7% in Port casks.

With a wide range of whiskies that include 6, 10, 12, and 15-year expressions (not to mention their top of the range Boss Hog brand), Whistlepig has created a cult following around the world. And for many rye whiskey lovers, their products have redefined the entire category. For some, Whistlepig is the best rye being made in the country. So with that in mind, I grabbed a few 50ml versions of their core range (10-year, 12-year, and 15-year) so I could dive in and explore. Today, I will start with the 10-year.

Wild Turkey 101 Rye has been a bit of an oddball in the rye world. While originally released years ago, Wild Turkey has struggled to keep it on shelves over the years. It went from being widely available, to allocated, to only available in bars and restaurants, to being found only as a much more expensive 1 liter only bottle. But as rye is becoming big business in North America, Wild Turkey is back in the game.

Michter’s 21 Barrel Strength Rye comes to market two years after Michter’s last Barrel Strength Rye release, making this one of the hottest releases of 2021 so far. With a full body of rye spice, and a healthy 108.8 proof, this looks - on paper - to be an excellent expression from the one of the smaller distillers in Kentucky. Let’s jump in and see if worth the hype of some of the previous releases.

Often overlooked by its older and higher proof brother Pikesville, Rittenhouse has soldiered on under the radar, boasting a fabulous price point and widespread availability. Should this only be reserved for cocktails, or is this a sipper in its own right?

This barely legal rye whiskey has been making waves for its high proof, big flavors, and accessibility across the country. It’s sometimes good to remember that while hunting rare bottles can be fun, sometimes the best pours are the ones that you can find every day!