It’s no secret — bartenders love rye whiskey. And we’re not just talking about rye shots, picklebacks, and laybacks, either. Its mix of spicy, chocolaty, and herbal aromas and flavors along with its natural punchiness makes rye a uniquely stiff backbone able to support all kinds of cocktail ingredients. From tried-and-true classic tipples like the Sazerac and the Vieux Carré, to modern favorites, it’s clear that rye cocktails just work.
When it comes to choosing a flavorful yet affordable rye, it’s no surprise that bartenders have some strong opinions. As much as they’d likely prefer mixing with the latest WhistlePig Boss Hog or Michter’s 10 Year, they have to constantly balance price and flavor to make sure they’re serving the best drinks possible while running a successful business. If anyone knows which ryes deliver the best bang for your buck, it’s going to be a bartender. We asked a handful of them to recommend some ryes that punch well above their weight class. Here’s what they had to say.
The best bang-for-your-buck ryes, according to bartenders
- Rittenhouse Rye
- Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye
- Fort Hamilton Rye
- Hudson Whiskey Do The Rye Thing
- Sazerac Rye
- Old Forester Rye
- Standard Proof Rye
- Ezra Brooks Rye
- Redemption Rye
- Peerless Rye
- New Riff Malted Rye
“[It] has always been and will always be Rittenhouse Rye from Heaven Hill. It’s a bottled-in-bond rye meaning that it is at least four years aged and bottled at 100 proof. Rittenhouse has those spicy fruity rye notes you’re looking for and is nice and bold at 100 proof but also has a slightly rounded sweetness due to its slightly lower rye content than many of the 95 percent ryes you see on the shelves. It retails where I live for around $27 a bottle.” —Valerie Diehl, bartender, Wildweed, Cincinnati
“I’m going a different direction for this — a rye that is a great sipper. Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye isn’t one of the cheaper ryes on the market but it still provides excellent quality for its price. Coming in at 112.2 proof and packed with flavor, you can expect notes of mint, citrus, cinnamon, and caramel. This is a full-flavored rye with nice complexity that competes with ryes much higher in price and isn’t hard to find.” —Ryan Ota, beverage director, Eos & Nyx, San Jose, Calif.
“For a really approachable local rye, Fort Hamilton absolutely delivers. While still having a beautiful peppery spice on the mid-palate that is characteristic of rye, it also has this unique bright green apple (or Asian pear) note on the nose and the finish that makes it beautiful for either by itself or for cocktailing. I love it in a Vieux Carré. This rye in particular sits nicely on the middle of the palate with a smooth finish.” —Kelsey Owens, head bartender, Market Table, NYC
“I have to say Hudson Whiskey ‘Do the Rye Thing’ is my favorite newer rye on our back bar. It’s bold with a spiced bright finish. Delicious on its own and easy to sip, but it’s also been featured in several cocktail specials on our menu.” —Hailey Donovan, bar manager, Northern Spy, Canton, Mass.
“In terms of quality on a budget, I’d say Sazerac Rye is a favorite of mine. I know many of us are used to grabbing any bottle with a green label and hoping for the best, but don’t sleep on Sazerac Rye in its elegant bottle. If your palate isn’t too keen on name brands, spend a few bucks and treat yourself to a surprise.” —Bernardo Gonzalez Martinez, bartender, Aji Bar and Robata, San Jose, Calif.
“Old Forester (100 proof) Rye is a great bottle to have on hand in any bar, either professionally or at home. I tend to favor rye over bourbon, and while there are many great ryes at higher price points, this is a great budget-conscious choice. You’re going to get great flavor at a great value, as well as higher alcohol content. If you ask me, the entire Old Forester lineup is pretty underrated and a bit of a trade secret with industry professionals.” —Allison Palmer, assistant beverage manager, Guenther’s Lounge, Murrieta, Cailf.
“Standard Proof is a local whiskey company that is close, both in proximity and to my heart. After being distilled, barreled, and aged for two years here in Tennessee, Standard Proof Rye takes on a profile jam-packed with notes of baking spice and white peppercorn. Coming in at 80 proof, this whiskey was made to sip in mind, so don’t worry about mixing it with anything else. You can snag this for under $30 a bottle in most local spirits stores.” —Demi Natoli, beverage director, Graduate, Nashville, Tenn.
“Ezra Brooks Rye offers the most bang for your buck. At an MSRP that is under $30 and bottled at 99 proof, this whiskey easily outpaces its peers in terms of complexity and flavor. This spirit is perfect for a classic Manhattan or any rye-focused cocktails. The mash bill is 51 percent rye, 45 percent corn, and 4 percent malted barley. The rye gives tastes of vanilla and chocolate balanced out with oaky notes.” —Arpit Patel, founder and owner, Oak n’Barrel, Newton Center, Mass.
“The best ‘bang for your buck’ rye I’m currently pleased with is Redemption Rye. It’s made with 95 percent rye grain and offers notes of warm spice and citrus. It’s on the robust side and works well in cocktails and also stands great on its own as a sipper.” —Cyllan Hicks, head mixologist, Nothing Really Matters, NYC
“The newest rye we’ve added is Peerless Rye. Peerless was an old pre-Prohibition distillery that has recently been revived from the ground up. This rye is full of spice, maple and brown sugar. I usually drink it with one large ice cube to mellow out the spirit and bring it to a slight chill. It is non-chill filtered, which I think brings a lot of concentration and body to the spirit.” —Hugo Bensimon, wine director, Grill 23, Boston
“New Riff 6 Year Malted Rye is the clear choice. The mash bill is 100 percent malted rye — a wild choice. The unique mash bill, along with its respectable 6-year age, produces powerful flavors of dark-skinned stone fruit, freshly lit campfire, lebkuchen cookies, and mint chocolate chip ice cream. Additionally, the juice is bottled in bond; 50 percent ABV allows for a little to go a long way, justifying the slightly higher bottle cost. New Riff 6 Year Malted Rye can stand up to any application while providing a flavor profile separate from the rabble of caraway bombs and 95/5 builds.” —Mark A. Mentzel, cocktail bar manager, The Elk Room and Order of the Ace, Baltimore
