Ryenaissance

Ryenaissance

Oh my, new Rye's looking extra fly.
Price $46.99
Members' price $42.99

Flaviar Members can claim a free Tasting Box and bottle every quarter.

Join the club
Character Goatson
  • rye
  • woody
  • vanilla
  • floral
  • fruit
  • dry

Oh my, new Rye's looking extra fly.

Rye’s glorious empire came crashing down in the Prohibition era and during both of the World Wars. Besides the inconvenience of the fiery Spirit becoming illegal, Rye also became too expensive to produce – but corn, on the other hand, was subsidized. That was great news for Bourbon, and the juice swooped in, slowly taking over Rye’s throne. 

Suddenly, Rye’s rep was a far cry from its former glory days, and everybody was drinking Bourbon now. Add to the mix the bad PR it got from all the drunkards in old Hollywood movies sipping (or rather, chugging down) cheap Rye and the once highly esteemed Spirit quickly ended up on the bottom shelves – the rare bottles that were left of it, anyway.

Fast forward to the 21st century. People began to realize that Rye might have been treated a tad unfairly and that perhaps it doesn’t belong on the bottom shelves. Bartenders were starting to miss the unparalleled depth Rye’s unique balance of spicy, sweet, and dry brought to their cocktails. 

Innovative craft distillers all over America have been picking up on the zeitgeist and carving a new path for great Rye Whiskeys. Just take a look at Ragtime Rye from New York Distilling Company, a robust and nuanced Rye of the new era, crafted from New York State-grown rye and aged in full-size barrels. Or, Frey Ranch Bottled-in-Bond, a powerful explosion of color and Rye flavors from Nevada. Or this Laws San Luis Valley Straight Rye Whiskey that puts the spice in Rye without the burn. 

Rye is back, and it tastes greater than ever.

Mix your favorite Whiskey cocktail the way it was originally made and ride the wave of new great Ryes, led by innovative craft distillers.

 

Smartass Corner:

1) The literary great Melville was familiar with the spicy tipple, too, describing the blood of the injured whale in Moby Dick to be as “red as some Old Monongahela”.

2)  At the end of the 18th century and at the beginning of the 19th century, George Washington was one of the biggest Rye producers in America, distilling as much as 11,000 gallons per year.

3) Revolutionary soldiers were given ratios of Rye for courage; a bit like Royal Navy soldiers were given ratios of Navy Rum.

4) The U.S. law states that Rye Whiskey must be made from at least 51% rye with other ingredients usually being corn and malted barley. It’s distilled to no more than 160 proof and aged in charred, new oak barrels. It must be put in the barrels at no more than 125 proof.

5) The early history of American Rye is usually associated with Maryland and Pennsylvania because that's where the Scotch-Irish immigrants settled and opened huge distilling operations. At first, they were mostly using barley but since it didn't adapt well to the North American climate, they switched to rye.

6) Pennsylvania’s typical style of Rye was called Monongahela Rye, named after the Monongahela River. 

7) At the time, George Washington ran his own distilling operation, producing 11,000 gallons with his five stills, which might not seem like that much today, but back in the day, it made him a real Whiskey tycoon.

What's in the box

  • 3 Ryes
  • fruit
  • dry
  • oak
  • leather
  • rye
  • mint
  • black pepper
  • vanilla
  • smooth
NY Distilling Co. Rye
  • woody
  • rye
  • vanilla
  • caramel
  • butter
  • ginger
  • black pepper
  • raisin
  • cacao
Frey Ranch Rye
  • floral
  • perfumed
  • orange peel
  • black tea
  • spicy
  • salty
  • toffee
  • figs
  • menthol
Laws Whiskey House Rye
The Flaviar tasting box
Dog Dogson's Smartass corner
Character Dogson
Rye - think of it as Bourbon's edgier cousin. It’s known for what many call a spicy or fruity flavor. Rye (distilled from at least 51% Rye) is not on the sweet side and tends to have a spicier body. That’s why the character of a cocktail made from Rye, instead of Bourbon, is drier.
During Prohibition there were over 50,000 illicit stills in New York City.
A decade ago there were only 6 brands of Rye Whiskey hailing from Kentucky, nowadays there are more than 50!
Rye sparked the first revolution after the American Independence. It was called the Whiskey Rebellion, and it arose when the government tried to tax Whiskey and enforce the taxation on distillers. The lesson here? Don't mess with a Whiskey drinker's dram.
George Washington famously loved his Rye Whiskey. In fact, after he served as the first president of the United States, he returned to his farm at Mount Vernon and started a small Rye distillery of his own.
Similar Tasting Boxes
Ratings & Reviews
from