Raising a glass for samplings of rye, a preferred partner in Manhattans

In My Glass

By Rob Kasper

April 2, 2008

Sazerac, Pikesville and Rittenhouse whiskeys were sampled for the tasting. (Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / March 24, 2008)

An American original and a traditional favorite of Marylanders, rye whiskey can be as pricey as its better-known cousin, small-batch bourbon. Bottles of aged, 20-year-old rye fetch upward of $100 a bottle.

Fortunately, there are a handful of flavorful rye whiskeys at lower prices. These are ryes, if you will, for recessionary times.

Made with at least 51 percent malted or unmalted rye (the makeup of the remaining 49 percent is up to the distiller), rye whiskey has been on the American scene since Colonial times. George Washington and his distiller, James Anderson, made about 11,000 barrels of it in the 1790s when it replaced rum as the nation's distilled spirit of choice. Popular in Mid-Atlantic states like Maryland, where rye grain was plentiful, rye whiskey eventually was passed in popularity by bourbon, a whiskey made primarily with corn.

Rye's flavor is racier, hotter and, yes, grassier than bourbon. Its strong, even brash notes make it a preferred partner in cocktails, such as a Manhattan, made with rye, sweet vermouth and bitters. The quality of the ingredients and the length of time the whiskey is aged in charred oak barrels account for the variations in quality and price.

For a recent tasting of rye whiskeys, I selected three brands that cost less than $25 a bottle. I tasted them both on the rocks with a little water and then in a Manhattan.

Here's what I found.

RYE WHISKEY

Best brew
>>>SAZERAC STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY (6 YEAR OLD)
Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Ky.
$23.99 for 750 milliliters. 90 proof. Republic National Distributing Co.
There are older, fancier versions of this rye, but this "youngster" delivers the goods, especially on ice. It has a slightly vanilla aroma, fire in its belly and a peppery finish. Two sips and I was ready to sign up for the Continental Army and fight the British.

Best bargain
>>>PIKESVILLE SUPREME STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY
Heaven Hill Distilleries, Bardstown, Ky.
$9.99 for 750 milliliters. 80 proof. Reliable Churchill, distributor
I did not have the sentimental attachment to the Pikesville brand that many native Marylanders hold. But a few sips of this fruity rye made me a fan. According to the American Whiskey Web site, this Pikesville rye does not taste like the Pikesville made in Maryland in 1972. I will have to take the site's word for it. But this smooth, mellow rye does make a perfect Manhattan.

Also tasted
>>>RITTENHOUSE STRAIGHT RYE WHISKY
Heaven Hill Distilleries, Bardstown, Ky.
$15.99 for 750 milliliters. 100 proof. Reliable Churchill, distributor
Produced in what is known as the Pennsylvania style, which apparently is close to how the colonists made whiskey, this rye was named the top North American whiskey of 2006 in a blind tasting in San Francisco. It was the wild thing of my tasting, with strong alcohol flavors that even overpowered the Manhattan mix.

[Rob Kasper]

rob.kasper@baltsun.com

Recipe search