Rye

Phildelmar


Any other rye drinkers out there? Itwas once much more popular, and conjures up cinema images, like Humphrey Bogart offering it to dorothy malone in The Big Sleep, or Robert taylor drinking rye and water in Valley Of The kings. Have you tried Pikesville? Mostly available in the Maryland area,interesting taste and good value

Pikesville is my regular rye, and I always have a bottle in my stockpile.
 
While still a pretty good value at $14 or so, It was an excellent value a few years ago when it could often be had for $7.99 a bottle.  Not sure if it's just inflation, or the word got out and popularity soared.  Maybe a bit of both. 

I bought a jug of Jim Beams rye yesterday for about $18.00.  I read the reviews and before I cracked the seal, I took it back to my retailer and swapped it for a jug of Bulleit.  I have not tried it but it got much better reviews. it is 95% rye and 5% barley.
 
I have always bought some type of Canadian which contains a small amount of rye so I thought I would try something much better.  It was somewhat pricier at about $27.00.  I will let you know later on when the occasion arises to sample.
http://www.bulleitbourbon.com/Legend.aspx
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Have tried their bourbon. The rye does not seem to be available in my area

I cracked the Bulleit last evening and poured a small dram.  I wish I was a connoisseur of these types of drinks but I am not  I took a small taste and it sorta reminded me of a nice brandy.  It certainly tasted better than any Canadian I had tried before.  Very strange because it had all sorts of taste.  Some strong and some mild.  I had neveer had a true rye before so I had nothing to compare it against.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Will try to get hold of a bottle to make comparisons. rye is certainly more complex than Canadian, and most Bourbons as well

Phildelmar


Will try to get hold of a bottle to make comparisons. rye is certainly more complex than Canadian, and most Bourbons as well

 
It sounds like you know much more about rye than me.   I will be interested in your thoughts.  I may have another small taste tonight along with a nice cigar that I bought in Panama.  It is a nice fat Cuban.  I will have to have it out on the deck as I do not wish to perfume my house with the smoke.  it may be a bit cool out on the deck but the full moon reflecting on the Tennessee River makes a nice presentation.
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I recently have sorta taken a liking to good spirits and for some reason rye struck me as a liquor I might enjoy.  I found that good rye was difficult to obtain.  The attached article might explain why.
 
 http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/04/travel/04iht-rye.3767486.html
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Sundancer, you paint the most beautiful pictures - must be nice to have such a great view from your deck! I just checked my bottle of Jim Beam Rye and decided a drink would be appropriate. I'll skip the cigar though! I seem to remember that the Manhattans I loved when going out to dinner in the 60's were made with rye. Don't taste the same any more. Think I'll try to make one with my rye when I get some fresh bitters. Does anyone know how long bitters keep in the fridge? Mine must be at least 15 years old.

My understanding is that the decline in rye production was a consequence of prohibition. With the major distilleries closed, other, imported, spirits captured market share. Smuggled scotch, rum and Canadian  changed the nation's tastes. When it ended, there were no blending stocks to draw on, and then, the onset of the war caused a re-alignment in distilling resources for war purposes. The only survivor was Old Overholt, along with some cheaper varieties, mostly in the Maryland region. Pikesville was the best of the lot, with Philadelphia and the old version of Rittenhouse being strictly for mixing. That being said, I was not disparaging mixing. In fact, I find that any cocktail mixed with bourbon tastes  better with rye. But, that's a matter of personal taste.

Phildelmar


Anybody tried the new Rittenhouse bottling? It's much better than the previous version

I went shopping for my occasional bottle of bourbon in prep for a spring Kentucky Bourbon Trail Tour but came across this bottle of Rittenhouse straight Rye. It was the only bottle of rye on the shelf so I bought it. Well, that and the fact that I remembered this thread.

Davydd:  let us know how you rated the rye that you bought.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Interested in getting your take on it

Rye to me is another good sipping whiskey but I rate it less interesting than a single malt or bourbon. In fact at the same time I bought that bottle of rye I bought this interesting bottle of Willett's Straight Kentucky Bourbon, bottle 214 of 272. The proprietor of Excelsior Vintage said he had the only bottles in Minnesota. It's pretty good but no where could I find how long it was aged.

Rye has  a spicy, peppey quality that I find unique.

Last month I did a partial Bourbon Trail Tour in that I visited the distilleries near Bardstown. They were Jim Beam, Heaven Hill and Maker's Mark. I think between Jim Beam and Heaven Hill you would be surprised how many of the brands they cover.
 
What I didn't get a chance to try were the Rye's. I did learn that Bulleit makes a bourbon with a very high rye content of I think about 28%. A bourbon has to be at least 51% corn. Barley malt is the other. Wheat is the hallmark of Maker's Mark. I hope compare the Bulleit bourbon with one of my favorites, Maker's Mark and my other favorite right now, Knob Creek (a Jim Beam product, BTW). Last year Bulleit, a Diageo company now, started distilling a rye consisting of 95% rye and 5% barley malt.

I really like a Rye distilled very close to my house...Copper Fox distillery in Sperryville Va makes a wondeful Rye. Makes a perfect Old Fashion or even better a ice cold Mint Julip. I like a Mint julip made with Rye rather than Bourbon.
 
http://www.copperfox.biz/

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_gCY1qhUoE
And a more modern version with today's "Wild Women"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTuD-sdC5-s&feature=related

I have found an excellent Rye Whiskey. Templeton Rye Whiskey is distilled in Indiana and placed in Oak barrels in Iowa where the recipe originated. They claim that it was a Prohibition era spirit that was Al Capone's drink of choice. It is expensive ($32-$40 a fifth) but well worth it. It is currently only available in Iowa, Illinois, San Francisco, and New York City. It is so popular that the State of Iowa which runs the liquor distribution itself, limits each liquor store to one case (6 bottles) per month. Most sell out within 4 hours of receiving their delivery. I'm just lucky that I found a store in an area where the locals have not discovered it yet. I make a call, they put aside a bottle or two, and I make a short trip up I35 to Iowa.
 
CNW

rebeltruce


I really like a Rye distilled very close to my house...Copper Fox distillery in Sperryville Va makes a wondeful Rye. Makes a perfect Old Fashion or even better a ice cold Mint Julip. I like a Mint julip made with Rye rather than Bourbon.

http://www.copperfox.biz/

I will have to look for this Rye rebeltruce, though all the products sound good.
 
I was intrigued by the aging kit:
 
http://www.copperfox.biz/images/cp-wasmunds-barrel-kit-product-sheet-2012.pdf
 
Sounds like a good project for the future. 

NY Distilling Company is currently working on their American Rye that will be ready (after aging) in 3 years...

http://nydistilling.com/

Worth waiting for

eruby

rebeltruce


I really like a Rye distilled very close to my house...Copper Fox distillery in Sperryville Va makes a wondeful Rye. Makes a perfect Old Fashion or even better a ice cold Mint Julip. I like a Mint julip made with Rye rather than Bourbon.

http://www.copperfox.biz/

I will have to look for this Rye rebeltruce, though all the products sound good.

I was intrigued by the aging kit:

http://www.copperfox.biz/images/cp-wasmunds-barrel-kit-product-sheet-2012.pdf

Sounds like a good project for the future. 

I have two 6L barrels...and have done both the Rye Spirit and the Whisky....Of course you need the secret amounts of charred cherry and apple woods to add..........I let both go for almost 10 months and then bottle them both at cask strength.... Both turned our fantastic....I need to head back to pick up enough of both spirits to make a second batch....
 
Take the tour if you have a chance.......the folks there are some of the nicest you'll meet.

Recently tried the Rittenhouse 100. Good stuff but better on the rocks or with soda

When "our barrel" of Maker's Mark reached the bottling stage we bought  "some of it"... but...you register, then wait 9 years to get a plaque (Copper-etched  very nicely done).. and the opportunity to buy either one or more bottles, that you show up and dip in the red-wax yourself,  or the contents of the entire barrel (but not the barrel itself) That would be 50+ gallons for $4300.  I think getting the barrel itself, full, with a fancy beer-tap on it would be a real discussion provoker in my kitchen !!

Rye whiskey is one of my favorite spirits, next to gin. I usually keep a bottle of Old Overholt around as my "standard" rye, mainly because it mixes pretty well and is fairly tasty for its affordable price.
 
Rye One is my favorite, though. It's a premium rye produced by Beam Global Spirits, although they don't really advertise it as one of their products, which I find a bit strange, given its quality. It has a more subtle and slightly sweeter taste while retaining the unique bite of rye whiskey, which is a combination that lends itself well to enjoying the spirit straight. It's a bit on the expensive side (about $50 for a 750mL bottle), but it's definitely worth the money, at least once. Also, the graphic on the bottle is one of the most clever labels that I've ever seen. I'm a bit of a language fiend, so it caught my attention immediately.
 
 

Tried it. As you said, worth the money, but only as an occasional indulgence.

We had an RV social last month and honored one of our friends who had recently passed away. His favorite rye was Templeton Rye so we all had a toast in his remembrance. Has anyone tried this one? I thought it was excellent.

I have tried it and I agree

My Dad always had a bottle of rock and rye in the kitchen ready for colds and the like. I was given a small sip some times.
Mom was not convinced of it's healing powers and called the doctor for her " really bad cold ". When the doctor finished examing
her my Dad offered him a drink of the rock and rye. This was back in the 1940's in Camden NJ

Any further feedback on the Rittenhouse?