Mattk Posted March 28, 2023 Share Posted March 28, 2023 So I've been lucky enough to start the rye forum for a few years now. And it has been an honor. Now I ask what are your favorite ryes of all time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattk Posted March 28, 2023 Author Share Posted March 28, 2023 I have to say I got to try a bookers sample. Thanks to you, you know who you are. And a ritt 23, same deal. But what I actually have that makes my top 5 in my stash are these. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcgumbohead Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 (edited) I love the wide spectrum of flavors in rye. In recent years as availability has increased I have purchased and consume rye more frequently than bourbon. The breadth of flavors from sweet vs sour mash, heritage grains, mash bills from 51-100%, various barrel entry proofs and the list goes on. That variety is reflected by the following which are all favorites depending on the mood of the day WP10 100% rye, this is the one that opened the door for me and it still blows me away. WT rye and WTRB rye KY rye from the masters Russell Wilderness Trail sweet mash and complex delicious flavors. New Riff, the bib hooked my on first taste and I’m looking forward to a barrel proof distillery pick on an upcoming trip, the BALBOA??? I LOVE it!! Rittenhouse, a great always available rye I love in cocktails and neat, I get a nice chocolate note that I don’t get in its older cousin Pikesville which for me puts the Ritt on top. JD rye looking forward to future BP versions more readily available Starlight while a big name in the finished game, their BP rye I got at the distillery is the most rye, rye I have. Rye toast in a glass and I have always loved rye bread and toast so this one is a winner for me. Looking forward to more from these guys in the years ahead. Old Scout from back in the well aged MGP days, had a jalapeño note I really enjoyed, can speak to the new edition. High West MWND and Rendezvous mine are legacy bottles when we’ll aged Barton made these instant classics, I enjoy them sparingly, can’t speak to the new editions but I don’t have much interest in them. ASW Resurgens BP rye, our local Atlanta distillery I bought during Covid. I think it’s the best tasting of their expressions but they are stuck at very young ages and don’t seem interested in doing much better for whatever reason. This one is 100% malted rye and as such presents as a softer rounded rye. I enjoy it for what it is, maybe one day they will get some age on it and I think it could really shine. Chattanooga Rye, I like many things from them and the rye is at the top of the list ( with others, they are a pretty cool little distillery). Edited April 2, 2023 by kcgumbohead 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 While I didn't or haven't tried some of the legendary ryes, I did get to buy and try several of the WFE Ryes from the early 2010s and some of the SAOS BP store pick ryes. Some of the early HWRR. They were all stellar. I had a few RRSiB Ryes that were awesome. I certainly appreciate the experience and would love the opportunity to enjoy more. However, I am also ok with having enjoyed the experience and just enjoying what is available now. I enjoy a wide range of rye styles...MGP, WT, Pikesville, KC, OF, Sagamore. Even WR, Hard Truth. If I had to pick my all-time favorite, I had a couple of store picks from Crossroad Vintners in Indy that were absolutely awesome. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0895 Posted April 17, 2023 Share Posted April 17, 2023 Some of my all time favorites from memory (in no particular order): -Willett 25 year / 100p -Hirsch 22, 23, & 25 year -VW 13 year from 2015 (supposedly the old tanked stuff) -Thomas Handy 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020 -Sazerac 18 from 2015 and before -WP Boss Hog 2, spirit of mortimer -MGP rye in general. Various ages and proofs. Just damn good rye. -HW (various Rendezvous & Double rye) -KY Owl rye (all 4 batches) -Old Overholt 11 year -Bookers rye was pretty good too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottledInBond Posted April 22, 2023 Share Posted April 22, 2023 On 4/16/2023 at 10:09 PM, 0895 said: Some of my all time favorites from memory (in no particular order): -Willett 25 year / 100p -Hirsch 22, 23, & 25 year -VW 13 year from 2015 (supposedly the old tanked stuff) -Thomas Handy 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020 -Sazerac 18 from 2015 and before -WP Boss Hog 2, spirit of mortimer -MGP rye in general. Various ages and proofs. Just damn good rye. -HW (various Rendezvous & Double rye) -KY Owl rye (all 4 batches) -Old Overholt 11 year -Bookers rye was pretty good too. This is a pretty good list of premium ryes. I’m not a huge fan of HW Double Rye, but I’d add the HW Rocky Mountain 21 year and I was also a sucker for the early batches of MWND, especially around the holidays. A list of all time great ryes for me should also include the Rittenhouse 21/23/25s, and then as much as I hate Michter’s, the bottled some really good juice in some of their earlier age stated ryes, often rumored to be much older than the age statement and from some of the same Medley/Cream of Kentucky stocks that were believed to be the source of some of the other highly regarded ryes on this list. I do like the PHC heavy char rye, with that nice thick oily viscosity. For today’s somewhat standard availability options, pretty hard to wrong with Rare Breed rye….. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0895 Posted April 23, 2023 Share Posted April 23, 2023 Oh! I forgot WTMK cornerstone. That’s definitely on the list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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