At its simplest, bourbon is a whiskey with a mash bill of at least 51% corn. While many distillers opt for a higher percentage of corn, others mix in more secondary grains like barley, wheat, and rye. And while we could spend a whole article writing about the flavors and aromas added by adding the various grains, today, we’re all about rye—specifically high-rye bourbon.
If you don’t know what high-rye bourbon is (and that’s okay), we’re here to help. High-rye bourbon is precisely as the name suggests. It’s a type of whiskey with more rye in its mash bill than most bourbon. Rye is also the secondary grain after corn. It usually makes up 20-30% of the total mash bill.
Adding a large percentage of rye significantly impacts the overall aromas and flavors of the bourbon. If you’re a rye whiskey drinker, you know that the grain adds fruity, earthy, grassy, herbal, and peppery spiced flavors. High-rye bourbon has all these flavors, but they’re balanced perfectly with sweet corn, toffee, vanilla, and oaky flavors. This makes for a unique, complex sipping whiskey you won’t forget.
The best high-rye bourbons
Now that you have learned a little about high-rye bourbons, it’s time to find some to add to your home bar cart. Below are some of the best examples of high-rye bourbons today. Keep scrolling to see them all in their sweet, smoothed, spicy glory.
Redemption High Rye Bourbon
With a name like Redemption High Rye Bourbon, you already know what you’re in for when you crack open a bottle. This award-winning, 92-proof whiskey is made with a mash bill of 36% rye.
Tasting notes: The result is a complex, sippable bourbon with aromas of fruit, oak, and vanilla. Sipping it reveals notes of licorice, mint leaves, vanilla beans, charred oak, and peppery rye spice. The finish is warming and pleasantly spicy.
Remus Repeal Reserve Bourbon
If you’ve never tried Remus Repeal Reserve Bourbon, now is the time. Released annually to commemorate the end of Prohibition on Dec. 5, 1933, the most recent batch is a mix of bourbons that began maturing in 2007, 2014, and 2014 with a mash bill of 21%, 21%, and 36%, respectively.
Tasting notes: This results in a nuanced, memorable whiskey that begins with a nose of candied nuts, vanilla, toffee, and herbal tea. The palate is a mix of roasted almonds, caramelized sugar, toasted vanilla beans, charred oak, and cinnamon candy.
Bulleit Bourbon
Even if you’re a casual bourbon drinker, you’ve probably heard of Bulleit Bourbon. You might not realize that it’s a high-rye bourbon, though. It’s made with a mash bill of 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% malted barley. It’s also well-known for its special yeast strain and for being made with pure Kentucky limestone water.
Tasting notes: On the nose, you’ll be greeted with aromas of candied orange peels, charred oak, and toasted vanilla beans. The palate contains flavors like orange peels, pipe tobacco, vanilla, maple candy, cracked back pepper, and wintry spices. The finish is long, dry, warming, and ends with a hit of caramelized sugar.
Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
There’s a reason Four Roses Small Batch bourbon is so popular among bartenders and drinkers alike. This 90-proof whiskey is a blend of bourbon with a mash bill of 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley and bourbon with a mash bill of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley. The flavor is as complex as the creation of the whiskey itself.
Tasting notes: The nose is a symphony of caramel, oaky wood, candied orange peels, vanilla, and wintry spices. Sipping it reveals notes of dried cherries, oak, toasted vanilla beans, sticky toffee, and peppery rye spice. The finish is long and warming and ends with a gentle mix of caramel and spice.
Basil Hayden Bourbon
When it comes to highly-rated, complex everyday sipping bourbons, it’s challenging to beat the appeal of Basil Hayden Bourbon. This no-age-statement whiskey has a mash bill of 63% corn, 27% rye, and 10% malted barley. The result is a balanced, nuanced, memorable whiskey.
Tasting notes: The nose is a mix of candied orange peels, dried fruits, fresh berries, vanilla beans, and cracked black pepper. The palate comprises complex flavors of dried fruits, oak, vanilla, toffee, brown sugar, and peppery rye. The finish is a warming mix of fruit, caramel corn, and peppery spice.
If you’ve never tried high-rye bourbon before but prefer your whiskey to lean heavily into spice, now is the time to get on the rye-filled, whiskey-drenched bandwagon. You’ll be pretty happy you did.
