Great Value Rye Whiskies in 2024
The whisky market is huge these days - seemingly endless choices, which can make it challenging to decide how to spend your whisky budget. Value can also be a challenge - prices haven risen for several years, so good deals aren’t always as easy to find as they used to be. Which whiskies still present a good value proposition?
Here, we’re taking a look at rye whiskies that generally fall on the more affordable end of the spectrum, though there are a few options that might have more of a premium feel as well. These are our top 9 value rye whiskies for 2024:
Brown-Forman tells us that this has a mashbill consisting of 65% rye grain, 20% malted barley, and 15% corn; we get a nice bottling strength of 50% ABV (100 proof), meaning this rye should hold up well in a whisky-forward cocktail. Price is around $23 in our area.
Some flavors you can expect: Brown sugar and candies, relatively sweet; mint, caramel, some black pepper,, vanilla, and wood spice.
Check out our full review of Old Forester 100 Proof Rye here.
This $22 rye comes with a solid 101 proof presentation, higher than some of its competitors in the entry level market. This has the minimum rye content allowed for a rye whisky, so it could be a great gateway for bourbon drinkers looking to try something new.
Some flavors you can expect: Ground pepper and caramel, with some oak to start; herbal eucalyptus, chili heat, and orange jam arrive on the palate. Oak stays rich into the finish.
Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Rye
The mashbill isn't officially disclosed, but the general idea is that it's a low-rye rye whisky - the percentage of rye in bill is close to the 51% mark, so it could be another great introduction to rye for bourbon drinkers. In recent years, this has been replaced by a 7 year rye, but this older NAS version is still available in a lot of places for about $34.
Some flavors you can expect: Oaky and nutty - peanut shells, some black and white pepper. It becomes sweeter with caramel turtles and vanilla, a nice mixture of sweet and spice overall.
Check out our full review of Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Rye here.
New Riff recently passed the 10th anniversary of their start of operations, and accordingly, they’re beginning to release whiskies with higher age statements. This new 8 year old rye is bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof), and while it’s twice as old as their normal releases, it still has a reasonable price around $70. This is one of the most mature 8 year old whiskies you can try!
Some flavors you can expect: Polished oak, sweet brown sugar, mint candies, and cherry cola; cocoa, molasses, and a kick from pepper and cayenne.
Michter's Single Barrel Straight Rye
A standardized single barrel product from a brand known for their high quality bourbons and ryes. This is still reasonably priced, around $40, and offers some unique flavors.
Some flavors you can expect: Peppery rye adds a kick, and there’s a nice savory side - barbecue, even barbecue sauce. Chocolate, soft fruit notes, molasses, and maple wood, as well.
Check out our full review of Michter's Single Barrel Straight Rye here.
Price is pretty reasonable at $55 currently, especially considering that specialty grains are used to produce it; rye is notoriously somewhat difficult to work with, and malting is an extra step with some amount of additional cost. This is a different take on rye, with more mellow spice and interesting sweet flavors.
Some flavors you can expect: Mellow and creamy, soft caramel and black pepper, red grape, some cinnamon, too. Later, we get malty grains, vanilla, and a buttery texture.
Check out our full review of New Riff 6 Year Malted Rye here.
The sister product to Wild Turkey's ever-popular Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Bourbon, this is their Rare Breed Rye. This is the barrel-proof version of their rye whisky, coming in at 56.1% ABV (112.2 proof), and price sits around $70 - this is bridging into premium territory.
Some flavors you can expect: A few different facets - spices, menthol, dill, and anise, but also rhubarb pie, earthy scents, and cola. The palate brings cinnamon, more mint, rosemary, and some moderate oak.
Check out our full review of Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye here.
New Riff Kentucky Straight Rye
The mashbill for New Riff's rye was heavily influenced by the most widely used rye whisky mashbill: MGP's 95/5, or 95% rye and 5% malted barley. True to their name, New Riff put their own twist on the famous recipe, opting to replace the 5% malted barley portion with 5% malted rye grain, making this a 100% rye mashbill; price sits around $45.
Some flavors you can expect: Classic rye spice, anise and menthol, some barbecued wood, and caramel. Peppermint, candies, black pepper, and vanilla arrive in time.
Check out our full review of New Riff Kentucky Straight Rye here.
The bartender's friend - of all of the whiskies we've discussed with bartenders over the years, none have been recommended more often than this: Rittenhouse Rye. It's an affordable ($25), supposedly solid rye that's bottled in bond, so it comes in at a strength of 50% ABV (100 proof), meaning it can stand up to other ingredients in a cocktail.
Some flavors you can expect: Caramel and molasses, brown sugar, nutmeg, and hints of white pepper; a bit of eucalyptus, before fresh lumber, syrup, and hints of sweet grain in the finish.
