Can anyone recommend me a good Rye?

[Aidan]

that doesn't cost tooo much. What is Oliver Overholt like?

[Pipe and dram]

I assume you mean Canadian Rye Whisky - if so, then Crown Royal, Wiser's Deluxze are OK - most Canadain ryes are very similar (unlike scotch whisky) are spicey enough that most people add coke or ginger ale anyway, so they all taste about the same. There are some preimium ryes at a reasonable price on the market that you could try

[Aidan]

Thanks Pipe and dram - I mean American or Canadian Rye. Like Sazerac, which I can't get over here...

[Oliver]

If you mean American Rye, Wild Turkey does a great one. (It comes in a green label).


Cheers!

Oliver
http://www.maltresistance.blogspot.com

[akallio]

I have heard that Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye is good stuff.

At least better than Jim Beam Rye...

You might want to check:
http://www.mindspring.com/~mccarthys/whiskey/rye.htm

[Frodo]

Yeah, I've heard good things about Van Wrinkle (Winkle, whatever). I'd stay away from Tangle Ridge RYE whisky from Canada. It is blended whisky, but all the components are rye whiskies. It's still **** IMHO.

Frodo

[bamber]

Van Winkle 13YO is my favourite - closely followed by Sazerac 18YO.

[Admiral]

What about Jim Beam Rye? (It's the Jim Beam with the yellow label). Admittedly, it's the only rye I've tried, so I don't know how it compares with other ryes, but it was pretty nice.

Cheers,
Admiral

[Aidan]

Thanks all

How much is the Van winkle and the Jim Beam?

[bamber]

The JB rye is around £20 and the VW about £30 -> 35

The VW Rye is my second favourite whisky of all time. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The JB Rye is pretty good, but not in the same league (IMHO).

[Ed]

Hello All,
I have only had two ryes, Jim Beam Rye and Wild Turkey Rye. I like them both, but consider the Wild Turkey to be the better of the two. I am anxious to try more. Also, I read somewhere that the Beam Rye contains the minimum amount of rye (51%) in its mashbill. I haven't seen any Van Winkle whiskeys in Japan. I may have to order some.
Ed

[Admiral]

Ed,

You are correct, the JB Rye satisfies the minimum 51% rye content, but is certainly not a 100% rye. I believe I also read somewhere that in fact it was exactly 51% rye.

This is also verified in the flavour.....it does not differ too greatly from some bourbons I've tried, so the corn content is certainly up there.

Cheers,
Admiral

[Ed]

Right you are Admiral. It is a straight rye though.
Ed

[Admiral]

Meaning?

[Ed]

Hello All,

Sorry, I realize that was a bit cryptic. 'Straight' is a technical term in American Whiskey law much like 'single malt' is in Scotland. For the longest time I had no idea what that meant. I thought that only one malt was used in the beer that the whisky was distilled from. I had no idea that it meant that all the malt whisky came from a single distillery. Skip ahead to paragraph (iii) for the part about 'straight whiskies' then come back to (1)(i).

(1)(i) "Bourbon whisky", "rye whisky", "wheat whisky", "malt whisky", or "rye
malt whisky" is whisky produced at not exceeding 160° proof from a
fermented mash of not less than 51 percent corn, rye, wheat, malted barley,
or malted rye grain, respectively, and stored at not more than 125° proof in
charred new oak containers; and also includes mixtures of such whiskies of
the same type.

(ii) "Corn whisky" is whisky produced at not exceeding 160° proof from a
fermented mash of not less than 80 percent corn grain, and if stored in oak
containers stored at not more than 125° proof in used or uncharred new oak
containers and not subjected in any manner to treatment with charred wood;
and also includes mixtures of such whisky.

(iii) Whiskies conforming to the standards prescribed in paragraphs (b)(1)(i)
and (ii) of this section, which have been stored in the type of oak containers
prescribed, for a period of 2 years or more shall be further designated as
"straight"; for example, "straight bourbon whisky", "straight corn whisky", and
whisky conforming to the standards prescribed in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this
section, except that it was produced from a fermented mash of less than 51
percent of any one type of grain, and stored for a period of 2 years or more in
charred new oak containers shall be designated merely as "straight whisky".
No other whiskies may be designated "straight". "Straight whisky" includes
mixtures of straight whiskies of the same type produced in the same State.

So, if Jim Beam has a mashbill containing exactly 51% rye then that is the minimum allowed to be labeled a straight rye whiskey. My bottle doesn't have an age statement on it. My guess is it is at least 4 yo. It is not my favorite whiskey, but I quiet like it.
Ed

[Ed]

Hello All,
I just opened a bottle of Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey 40%. Aged just four years it is a young whiskey. Some floral, citrus note in the nose, some sweetness, not honey, in the taste with some vanilla from the oak. Not woody. It has a bit of the bite I get from rye (not that I have had that many ryes), but really is fairly smooth for all that. Maybe because of the fairly low abv.
I saw this at the discount the yesterday. I had seen it before but had thought it was a bourbon. Also, it was cheap, 1,600 yen or so. Then I noticed that it was a straight rye. I did a web search last night and was entranced by the history of this whiskey. Not that there is necessarily that much history in the bottle that I bought today... Still, if you see this on the shelf and you want to try a rye whiskey then I think you should give this one a go.
Ed

[peatreek1]

My impression of Old Overholt it is rather thin as far as flavor, which as noted, is due in part to being bottled at 40% abv.

I have not been really impressed with any of the rye whiskies I have tried (few are available in my area). I guess I had/have expectations of more intense spicy flavor.

[Tartan]

Actually, I thought that Wild Turkey Rye was intense enough. Not the most intense whiskey you'll ever find, but quite pleasantly and interestingly intensive. Perhaps the strength - 50.5% - had its toll as well. I like it. It's not my favorite American whiskey, but definitely worth a try.

I haven't tried other ones. When I was buying Wild Turkey, Jim Beam and Old Overholt rye versions were sitting next to it, but at a price of 2/3 of Wild Turkey. So I snobbishly chose the later

I am eager to try Old Potrero. It's a 100% malted rye at cask strength. But being on a very young side I think it commands too high a price - $60+ for a few year old whiskey. Maybe when they get some older expressions Has anyone tried it?

[Ed]

Hmm, my fourth impression isn't as favorable as my first was. I mean the Old Overholt. I haven't made up my mind yet as to whether it is worth buying again. It might just be me, but tonight it seems thinner (has peatreek1 hypnotized me?) and not as estery. I wonder now what I drank before the Old Overholt the night I tried it? Or ate? I find that has a big influence on how whiskey tastes to me.
Ed

[Deactivated Member]

Sazerac is divine. Aidan - you could try drinkfinder.co.uk - they claim to deliver to the whole of the EU. I have bought from them and they are very nice.

[Aidan]

Thanks Nick - I will look that up.

[Lord_Pfaffin]

Gibson's Finest Rare18 yr old 40% abv at $ 35 cnd for 750ml per bottle, one of my favorite ryes. Huge sweet oaky nose with a smooth and overly sweet palate that with a little water(melted ice) levels out quite nicely. You can find the bottom of this one quite with ease and it is kind to the stomach.

[Lawrence]

If you have a chance try the Centennial Rye for Highwood Distillers, it's very soft and smooth. C$28

[Deactivated Member]

I should say, before people spend lots of money and get disappointed, that Sazerac is nothing like Canadian whisky. Whereas Canadian is smooth, mellow, subdued and subtle, Sazerac is a wild, aggressive, in-your-face, fruity monster. Obviously the taste is completely different, but in terms of sheer strength and intensity of flavour, it must surely rank as an "American Islay".

[bamber]

The phrases "waste money" and "Sazerac Rye" are mutually exclusive. You're right American Rye is the "intensity equivalent" of Scottish Islay.

That stuff made the same impact on me as my first ever sip of Lagavulin 16YO .