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These often include corn, malted barley, wheat, and sometimes include rice, oat, or other cereal grains. While rye must be at least 51 percent rye, it can include other grains in the mash. Bottled at no less than 80 proof (40% ABV).
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Placed in the barrel for aging at no more than 125 proof (62.5% ABV).Distilled to no more than 160 proof (80% ABV).Made from a mash that is at least 51 percent rye grain.While bourbon is made from mostly corn, rye whiskey is made from mostly (Can you guess?) rye!įor a spirit to be considered a rye whiskey in the United States, it must be: But while the process of making bourbon and rye whiskey are pretty similar, there’s one crucial component that’s different. Rye has a lot in common with its fellow whiskey bourbon.
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From WhistlePig to Woodford Reserve, let’s get into it. Prices range from reasonable to “you spent how much on a bottle of alcohol”?įor the best ryes, we chatted with Kim Ohanneson, President of Women Who Whiskey Los Angeles, founder of Ardent Spirits L.A., and curator of Highlands & Islands Distillery Tours, and the expert team over at Frootbat, an online market that specializes in rare and vintage varieties. With the help of whiskey experts, we ranked some of the most popular rye brands out there from worst to best. But, if you want to get into rye, where do you begin?
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And it’s particularly punchy if your idea of whiskey begins with the word fire and ends with ball. It’s generally more intense than its sweeter cousin, bourbon. When it comes to whiskey, rye is not usually where people start.
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