The Manhattan is rye whiskey's cocktail — built specifically to showcase the spice and complexity that rye brings to a stirred drink. Crystal and Roger use Michter's Single Barrel Straight Rye as their house Manhattan whiskey. Why Michter's Single Barrel Rye Is the Manhattan Rye Michter's Single Barrel Straight Rye is the World's Most Admired Whiskey (Drinks International, two years running). In a Manhattan, the rye's spice plays against sweet vermouth's fruit and bitterness

Rye whiskey is America's most underappreciated category. Crystal and Roger have reviewed it more thoroughly than almost any other podcast — from cask strength Monongahela-style expressions to rum-finished ryes. This is the definitive ranked list. 🥇 #1 — Michter's Single Barrel Straight Rye | World's Most Admired Whiskey, Two Years Running Named World's Most Admired Whiskey by Drinks International two consecutive years. Crystal and Roger tasted and confirmed the title is earn

The most-asked rye whiskey questions — answered by Crystal and Roger of The Liquor Connoisseur®. What is the legal definition of rye whiskey? American rye whiskey must be made from a mash of at least 51% rye grain, distilled to no more than 160 proof, aged in new charred oak containers, and entered into the barrel at no more than 125 proof. There's no minimum age requirement for straight rye — though Straight Rye must be aged at least 2 years. What does rye whiskey taste like

Rye and rum shouldn't work together — or so the conventional wisdom goes. RY3 uses a rum cask finish to challenge that assumption, and Crystal and Roger evaluate whether the result is a clever innovation or a case of two good things that cancel each other out. Bottle Specs Spirit: RY3 Rum Cask Finished Rye Whiskey Category: Straight Rye Whiskey — secondary cask finish Rye mashbill: High rye content Cask finish: Caribbean rum barrels ABV: ~46% Price: ~$55–65 What Rum Cask Fini

Widow Jane makes bold claims about their Apple Wood Rye — this is a rye that backs up its positioning with production specificity and genuine character. Crystal and Roger evaluate whether the statement holds up and whether this is worth the space it demands on a shelf. Bottle Specs Spirit: Widow Jane Apple Wood Finished Rye Whiskey Distillery: Widow Jane Distillery, Brooklyn, New York Category: American Straight Rye Whiskey Finish: Apple wood stave finishing ABV: ~45.5% Price

PonFEIGH Cask Strength Single Barrel Rye arrives at 120 proof — a Pennsylvania Monongahela-style rye that demands attention. Crystal and Roger evaluate whether this level of intensity serves the spirit or overwhelms it. Bottle Specs Spirit: PonFEIGH Cask Strength Single Barrel Rye Whiskey Style: Pennsylvania Monongahela Rye — high rye mashbill tradition Category: American Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey ABV: ~60% (120 proof — cask strength) Price: ~$60–75 Character: Bold,

WhistlePig 12-Year World Rye arrives with a staggering pedigree — aged 12 years, finished in three different wine casks, and priced to match. Crystal and Roger ask the question that $125 demands: does this rye earn every dollar? Bottle Specs Spirit: WhistlePig 12-Year Old World Rye Distillery: WhistlePig Farm, Vermont (sourced Canadian rye, finished Vermont) Category: Straight Rye Whiskey — triple cask finish Age: 12 years Finish: Sauternes, Madeira, and Armagnac casks ABV: 4

Michter's has been named the World's Most Admired Whiskey brand multiple times. Crystal and Roger open this single barrel straight rye to evaluate whether the world's most admired bottle lives up to its recognition. Bottle Specs Spirit: Michter's US*1 Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey Distillery: Michter's Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky Category: American Single Barrel Straight Rye Barrel entry proof: Maximum 103 — below federal maximum Bottling proof: 42.4% (84.8 proof) P

🌾 SPIRIT 101: RYE WHISKEY Rye whiskey is America's original spirit — predating bourbon by decades. It was the dominant American whiskey before Prohibition, nearly disappeared afterward, and has experienced a dramatic renaissance over the last 15 years. If you love bourbon but want more spice and complexity, rye is your next step. What Makes It Rye? American rye must be made from a mash bill of at least 51% rye grain. Like bourbon, it must be aged in new, charred oak containe

Same Old Moses from Wanderfolk Spirits in Guthrie, Oklahoma is already a fan favorite — but now the distillery has released two bold new specialty expressions: a Sauternes Double Barrel Rye and an Amarone Double Barrel Rye. On this episode of The Liquor Connoisseur, Crystal and Roger dig into both to see if these wine cask finishes have the Rye(t) stuff. The Sauternes finish brings a honeyed sweetness and stone fruit complexity, while the Amarone delivers deep, wine-soaked ri