Rye whiskey, rye whiskey, rye whiskey I cry. If I don't get rye whiskey I surely will die. That's the refrain of an old hilbilly song, and I believe that everyone needs a little rye whiskey in their liquor cabinet.
Today, at the liquor store, I picked up a bottle. Bulleit 95 Rye, which I think is the quintessential rye whiskey on the market today.
This is quintessential rye whiskey, not because I think that Bulleit makes good whiskey. I'm not convinced that Bulleit makes any whiskey, but they sure do bottle good whiskey. The juice in the bottle is distilled by Midwest Grain Products (MGP), which is a huge distiller and makes whiskey for a number of brands, both large and small. This whiskey is 95%rye and 5% msled barley. It has no age statement and is bottled at 90 proof.
Locally, this bottle runs ~$26.00. A great value.
After reading a few articles about the truth behind a lot of the 'distilleries' selling bourbon I found a nearby one that's an independent, and available at stores! Try Chattanooga Whiskey if you can find it. I've enjoyed everything I've tried from them, especially the cask-strength ones, but the rye was nice as well. They prolly ship down your way, it's not too far.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is a best seller. And the switch from old bulleit rye to the new 95% mash bill was a good idea. But it’s still weak stuff. Rye -the fabled red whiskey- should always be at least 100 proof, and 120 is far better. If you can’t take the bite go find some soft sweet bourbon. Nor should it command a steep price. Rye is sharp stuff, and swishy distilling and artisan aging destroys the original meaning.
ReplyDeleteI still miss Bacardi 151 rum. Why did they stop making it?
ReplyDelete