Just like a few weeks ago, instead of reviewing a whiskey, we thought we would share our best buys that sell for under $40. Last time, it was Bourbons; this time, ryes. Like the Bourbon list, we wanted a rye that could be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a whiskey-forward cocktail like an Old Fashioned, Sazerac, or Manhattan but is easy on the wallet. If you like to mix Ryes with cola, a Lemon-lime soda, use it as a base for a punch, or anything super sugary, we recommend buying rye even less than the ones we will list here.
Like the Bourbon list, we wanted to pick ryes that have a little bit of a distinction, something that sets them apart from others at this price point. To be clear, these are not our favorite ryes of all time; they are just ones we really like and are at a good price. This list, like other lists of this type, is completely opinionated. These are the ones we like; they may not be the ones you like. And we are sure we will get messages naming ones that we left off. But that is the fun of this post, and hey, it gets people talking. So here is our list, in no particular order, of our favorite ryes under $40.
Bulleit Rye This is our hands-down go-to rye for Old Fashions. It has a unique aroma that is very strong rye with leather and caramel notes. The taste echoes the same with some added pepper and fruit. Bulleit Rye is 95-proof and sells for under $30.
Knob Creek Rye This will be our highest price of the 5, selling for right around the $40 mark, sometimes less. It is also the best one on this list to drink neat. A strong nose of cedar, rye, and vanilla with tastes of rye, grain, spice, and wood.
Crown Royal Northern Rye Readers of this post will be surprised to see anything from Crown on this list. We are definitely not fans of the hugely popular Crown Royal Whisky, but their rye is a different breed. It sells for under $30 and will be the smoothest one on the list. On the nose, like the rest, is lots of spicey rye with some wood and sweetness. The taste is also strong in rye with baking spices, oak, and vanilla. An easy drinker.
Sazerac Rye This will be the only one on this list that can be, at times, hard to find, and behind Bulleit, it makes the best Old Fashioned. Selling for under $30 it has a nose of rye, vanilla, and cinnamon. It is also the only one we put on this list that can be hot and somewhat harsh neat. But that helps it in cocktails. Nose and taste have rye, caramel, and spice with a bit of chocolate.
Rittenhouse Rye This will be the lowest price on this list; you can usually find it for under $25. It is also the highest proof at 100, making it a very good buy. The nose has fruit, bread, apple, and, of course, rye. The tastes range from cherries to rye, pepper, and grain. It’s pretty smooth neat as well.
Well, there is our list of the 5 best ryes for under $40. It seems we definitely have a taste profile that we lean toward, rye, vanilla, wood, and sweetness. We wanted to state that none of these, with the possible exception of Knob Creek, are overly complex. But at these prices, who cares?
One final note, Michter’s Single Barrel Rye is one of the best ryes at any price and certainly beats all of the above. But it sells for around $45, so it couldn’t quit make our list. We felt we had to mention it though.