The Best Rye Whiskey of 2024

Bottle purchased at retail by EZdrinking.

AT A GLANCE

• Name: Small Batch Straight Rye Whiskey

• Owned by: Illva Saronno, Lombardy, Italy

• Distilled and Bottled by: Sagamore Spirit

• Spirit Type: Rye Whiskey

• Mash Bills: High Rye: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barly; Low Rye: 52% Rye, 43% Corn, 5% Malted Barley

• Still Type: Column Still with Two Copper Doublers

• Age: NAS (4-6 years)

• Strength: 46.5%

• Price: $39

Kevin Plank, CEO of Uder Armour founded Sagamore Spirits in 2013 but construction of their Baltimore distillery did not begin until 2015. As the build out progressed Sagamore began sorcing aged rye from MGP (now Ross & Squibb Distillery) in Lawrenceburge, IN and had them contract distill new make for them. Sagamore's 22,000 square food ditillery opened in April 2017 and they got straight to work distilling two rye mashbills on their 24 inch column still from Vendome. On the label and in some of their marketing you might notice they claim their whiskey is triple distilled which is unusual outside of Irish whiskey. Looking into it I discovered that their column still is connected to two doublers (esentially pot stills) so the spirit gets distilled once in the column, and two more times in the doublers. While this would probably not count as triple distilled in Ireland, it is effective at making a good base spirit.

Sagamore is one of a number of distilleries looking to revieve the old style of Maryland Rye Whiskey that was popular from about 1850 to 1950 and completly dissapeard in the 1980s. In general, Maryland rye was know for being sweeter than ryes coming out of Pennsylvania and so Sagamore took two rye whiskey mash bills from MGP (one high and one low rye contnet) and blended them together to land around where a historic Maryland rye might have been. If you are interested to learn more about Maryland rye you find a whole chapter about it in my book The Atlas of Bourbon & American Whiskey.

Sagamore began selling their sourced whiskey in May 2016, and in 2021 they released their first bottles of 100% Maryland distilled and aged rye as a Bottled in Bond. Then in May 2024 Sagamore released the first bottles of their Small Batch (Maryland) Stright Rye Whiskey which completed their transition from fully sourced whiskey, to a blend of sourced and in-house whiskey and now all their own aged whiskey. This is a historic milestone because while there are several Maryland distillers making good rye, Sagamore is the only one currently with a national reach that reintroduce Maryland rye to the broader public.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: On the nose there are notes of molasses followed by lighter notes of vanilla, honey, warm rye bread, carraway, and oak. As the it opens light notes of dill and wintergreen rise up.

Palate: On the palate there is a nice light sweetness or caramel and vanilla that slips across the tongue light and warm. The whiskey has light peach character followed by flavors of oak and a light grassy note but without any bitterness or astringency.

Finish: The finish is long and savory with notes of oak, dill and candied orange peal with a light sweetness.

Conclusion: Sagamore Straight Rye is an excellent whiskey, a strong addition to the story of Maryland rye and the best new rye whiskey I’ve had in 2024. If you are curious to taste Maryland rye this is an excelent place to begin. This whiskey is very veritile and can easily be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, with water or in your favorite cocktail. If you are a fan of rye this definitly one you should look for and enjoy.

No you should not expect to pay $10 per year of age for a bottle of Bourbon or Rye Whiskey

Recently I have been spending more time lurking on the r/bourbon subreddit and watching a variety of Whiskey Tube channels to get a sense of how engaged consumers are talking about American whiskey and what they think is worth spending their money on. One of the more common axioms in these spaces is the idea that a fair retail price for a bottle of bourbon or rye whiskey is around $10 for each year it aged in a barrel. At first glance I can understand where this idea might have come from but if we interrogate the idea, it quickly breaks down.

Most whiskey fans are well aware of angel’s share, the fact that spirits stored in oak barrels slowly evaporates so the volume of liquid that went in is not how much that comes out after four, eight or twelve years. Because of angel’s share, there is a real cost for distillers to age a whiskey longer because there will be less of it each extra year they wait before bottling. So, in real terms older whiskey costs a distiller more to bottle than younger whiskey. However, as the production capacity of a distillery grows, they are able to produce the same whiskey with greater economies of scale because buying grain by the truck loads or rail cars costs less per pound than by 2000lb totes. The same is also true for any other hard goods like bottles, labels, or closures. Large distilleries are also more efficient with their time since there is less down time for their stills and fermenters compared to small distillers that can only run one or two production shifts with significant down time for their equipment. So generally smaller distilleries have higher fixed cost per bottle because they are less “efficient” with their capital. This is why a blanket price metric doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Many craft bourbons and rye whiskeys are priced higher than $10 per year of age because of these higher fixed costs and a more constrained supply. Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon and Old Crow Bourbon are both aged for three years but the former retails for $80 a bottle and the later sits on the bottom shelf at about $12 for 750ml. Garrison Brothers is pot distilled using a more expensive locally grown corn, and the intense climate in the Texas Hill Country means they have a much higher angel’s share than most Kentucky Bourbons. Despite having the same age statement these are two very different bourbons and even if you don’t know all the exact production details, on taste alone, $30 for Old Crow would be highway robbery and an incredible deal for Garrison Brothers.

Conversely, many great bourbons from the heritage distillers in Kentucky and Tennessee are priced below $10 per year. Russel’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon retails for about $44 and George Dickel Bottled in Bond which ranges between 11 and 13 years old has a suggested retail price of $40! Now I would be willing to pay a little more for these because the quality is there, I also have no interest in paying $100 or more for these whiskeys just because of their age. In reality the price for these whiskeys is not just about age. Weller 12 Year Old has an SRP around $43 but you’d be lucky to find it most places below $150 because of its limited availability and the all the hype around it and Pappy Van Winkle.

Now whether it is worth it to you to pay $200 for Weller 12, $40 for George Dickel BIB at 13 years or less than $20 for the four year old Evan Williams Bottled in Bond is a completely subjective decision informed by your income and what you value. But the idea that it is “fair” to pay $10 per year of age for American whiskey is a silly metric that doesn’t reflect the whiskey market. In reality, this just sounds like a made up “fact” that some salesman came up with as a way to convince people that its ok for them to spend $80 on an otherwise mid 8 year old whiskey.

Buy what you like and spend what you feel comfortable with but I’m sorry to say that setting a fair price for bourbon and rye whiskey is more complicated than simply how long it was aged.

Review: Workhorse Rye Virgin Cask California Rye Whiskey

View fullsize

Free sample bottle received as a gift from 3rd party.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Workhorse Rye

• Distilled at: Sutherland Distilling Co. in Livermore, CA

• Still Type: Hybrid Still

• Spirit Type: Rye Whiskey

• Strength: 50% ABV

• Price: $80

In 2011, Rob Easter founded Workhouse Rye to be a “progressive and sustainable” producer of whiskey and bitters. For the past eight years Easter has operated as an itinerant distiller, renting still time and space from distilleries to ferment, distill, and mature his whiskeys. From 2012-2014, Easter was able to refined his distilling chops at Kings County Distillery in Brooklyn, New York helping to develop their award winning Peated Bourbon. Since 2014, Easter has focused on sourcing most of his grains direct from farmers who are growing non-irrigated heirloom varieties of rye, wheat, corn and barley. Hybridized and GMO grains have been designed to maximize starch production and respond positively to modern farming techniques, (irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides), the consequence however is that these plants has lost a multitude of other compounds that added flavor and depth of character when made into bread or distilled into whiskey. For Easter, he has to use more than 1000 pounds of grain to make one barrel of whiskey, but he believes that despite the lower yield, these grains result in a better spirit that is also less taxing on the environment.

Each expression of Workhorse begins with the same mash bill of 70% west coast rye, 20% malted barley, and 10% malted wheat. The mash is fermented, pot distilled, and then filled in a variety of barrels. As the name infers, Workhorse Rye’s Virgin Cask is a Rye Whiskey as defined by the US Government because of its mash bill (min 51% Rye) how its distilled (below 80% ABV), and how it is matured (barreled below 62.5% ABV in charred new oak barrels). For this expression of Virgin Cask, it was matured for one year, and bottled at 50% ABV.

In 2019, Workhorse Rye’s Virgin Cask California Rye Whiskey earned a silver medal from the American Distilling Institute’s Judging of Craft Spirits.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: First thing you notice on the nose is a grainy sweetness that is both floral and fruity with notes of green apple, nectarine and dark chocolate cherries, under girded by soft aromas of toasted oak.

Palate: At 50% ABV the palate is pleasantly smooth and full bodied. The flavor is strong with grain and wood notes up front followed with lighter flavors of nectarine and grape skins. The palate also has a soft spice character mixed with the flavor of homemade marshmallows without the intense sweetness.

Finish: On the finish the whiskey blossoms and then gently fades with light notes of white grape juice and raspberries.

Conclusion: Workhorse Virgin Cask is a beautiful example of heirloom rye grown, distilled and matured in California. In the shadow of Mt. Diablo, this whiskey soaked in the soft cool marine air and captures a beautiful snapshot of the terrior of California. It has elements that will please both fans of traditional rye whiskey and those who love the restrained and elegant California wines.

Review: Workhorse Rye Redhorse Whiskey

View fullsize

Free sample bottle received as a gift from 3rd party.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Workhorse Rye

• Distilled at: Sutherland Distilling Co. in Livermore, CA

• Still Type: Hybrid Still

• Spirit Type: Whiskey distilled from Rye

• Strength: 60% ABV

• Price: ~$35 (200ml)

In 2011, Rob Easter founded Workhouse Rye to be a “progressive and sustainable” producer of whiskey and bitters. For the past eight years Easter has operated as an itinerant distiller, renting still time and space from distilleries to ferment, distill, and mature his whiskeys. From 2012-2014, Easter was able to refined his distilling chops at Kings County Distillery in Brooklyn, New York helping to develop their award winning Peated Bourbon. Since 2014, Easter has focused on sourcing most of his grains direct from farmer who are growing non-irrigated heirloom varieties of rye, wheat, corn and barley. Hybridized and GMO grains have been designed to maximize starch production and respond positively to modern farming techniques, (irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides), the consequence however is that these plants has lost a multitude of other compounds that added flavor and depth of character when made into bread or distilled into whiskey. For Easter, he has to use more than 1000 pounds of grain to make one barrel of whiskey, but he believes that despite the lower yield, these grains result in a better spirit that is also less taxing on the environment.

Each expression of Workhorse begins with the same mash bill of 70% west coast rye, 20% malted barley, and 10% malted wheat. The mash is fermented, pot distilled, and then filled in a variety of barrels. US labeling laws for rye whiskey require the spirit to be aged in charred new oak barrels, but because Redhorse matures in used wine barrels, it is just labeled whiskey. For this particular bottling, Easter aged the whiskey for two years in used Broc Cellers Syrah casks before being bottled at 60% ABV.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: On the nose there are fantastic aromas of a nutty Manzanilla sherry intermixed with notes of dried dates, raisins and prunes compote cooked with cinnamon sticks. As the whiskey breaths aromas of dark cherries and chocolate strawberries start to break through.

Palate: On the palate the whiskey is intense with big flavors of cinnamon spice, dried fruit and hazelnuts. With a little water the flavor broadens and opens with more oak notes from the barrel and a touch of milk chocolate.

Finish: The finish lingers with notes of roasted nuts, baked apples and a touch of orange blossom honey.

Conclusion: Redhorse Whiskey is an intense and decadent whiskey that should be sipped over a large ice cube or used to make a fantastic Manhattan. Drinkers who like nutty sherries should search this out and sip judiciously.

Review: Workhorse Rye Palehorse Whiskey

View fullsize

Free sample bottle received as a gift from 3rd party.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Workhorse Rye

• Distilled at: Sutherland Distilling Co. in Livermore, CA

• Still Type: Hybrid Still

• Spirit Type: Whiskey distilled from Rye

• Strength: 55% ABV

• Price: ~$35 (200ml)

In 2011, Rob Easter founded Workhouse Rye to be a “progressive and sustainable” producer of whiskey and bitters. For the past eight years Easter has operated as an itinerant distiller, renting still time and space from distilleries to ferment, distill, and mature his whiskeys. From 2012-2014, Easter was able to refined his distilling chops at Kings County Distillery in Brooklyn, New York helping to develop their award winning Peated Bourbon. Since 2014, Easter has focused on sourcing most of his grains direct from farmer who are growing non-irrigated heirloom varieties of rye, wheat, corn and barley. Hybridized and GMO grains have been designed to maximize starch production and respond positively to modern farming techniques, (irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides), the consequence however is that these plants has lost a multitude of other compounds that added flavor and depth of character when made into bread or distilled into whiskey. For Easter, he has to use more than 1000 pounds of grain to make one barrel of whiskey, but he believes that despite the lower yield, these grains result in a better spirit that is also less taxing on the environment.

Each expression of Workhorse begins with the same mash bill of 70% west coast rye, 20% malted barley, and 10% malted wheat. The mash is fermented, pot distilled, and then filled in a variety of barrels. US labeling laws for rye whiskey require the spirit to be aged in charred new oak barrels, but because Palehorse matures for a year in used whiskey barrels, it is just labeled whiskey. The used barrels and shorter maturation period also explains why Palehorse has a nice light straw color.

In 2019, Palehorse Whiskey earned a bronze medal from the American Distilling Institute’s Judging of Craft Spirits.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The aroma is round and inviting like freshly baked bread with a touch of yeastiness and salty air.

Palate: A little heat from the higher ABV but there is an immediate sweetness like biting into a ripe plum that still has a little bit of tannins in the skins.

Finish: The finish lingers with note of malted chocolate, plum skins, stone fruit and a touch buckwheat which slowly evolves and fades into soft notes of oak.

Conclusion: Palehorse Whiskey is very good however, those looking for a powerful rye whiskey like those coming out of Kentucky or Indiana will be disappointed. Palehorse is a delicious dram that should be tried by those who like soft grain forward whiskies like those from the lowlands of Scotland or Japan. Other than drinking neat or with a little water, I would pick delicate cocktails like a short whiskey soda or whiskey sour with fresh lemon juice. Overall, this a very beautiful whiskey.