There is a lot of confusion and misperception about rye whiskey brands. Most people believe that rye is just a poorer quality of whiskey, which is why you will often see people buying it at a cheap rate in order to save money. However, the truth is that rye is not at all inferior to whiskey in terms of quality and characteristics. Indeed, rye whiskey brands are some of the best available in the market today.
Why is rye whiskey so much better than other brands? There are actually quite a few reasons behind it. For one, rye whiskey brands are mostly mated with other kinds of whiskies, most often with the more popular wheat varieties. The bottom line is, most of these mated whiskies are not really made for mixing at all, so the fact that they cost less compared to their counterparts is not really a result of any kind of quality compromise. Moreover, most of them don’t come from distilleries any longer, since more companies have started to blend high-quality ryes and putting them onto their own bottom shelf.
The best Rye whiskey brands are those that have been matured in new oak barrels. When you buy rye straight from the distilleries, you aren’t buying a top-quality product. You are buying something that is cheaply produced in order to keep costs down. With all of that said, why would anyone buy rye whiskey brands that are mated with whiskies from other sources, especially if they are not going to use them in mixing drinks? They wouldn’t.
A good reason why rye whiskey brands are superior to other kinds is that they have a higher percentage of rye whiskey in them. That means rye whiskies are closer to the pure form of spirits, which are typically made up of 70% rye. That is great news for those who like to get their whiskey from brands that have higher rye content since rye whiskies are incredibly versatile. You can drink a glass right off the bottle or enjoy its softer form on the rocks, in a nice smooth ice cube tray, or even mixed with fruit juice. If you want a great way to introduce someone to the spirit of whiskey without them even realizing it, give them rye whiskey. It is still much better than simply buying them a shot of alcohol, they will never be able to enjoy it.
Perhaps the best rye whiskey brands out there are American and European styles. The Europeans have been making ryes for centuries, so they have had time to perfect their blend and their aging process, and their ryes have held up well over the years. American whiskeys, on the other hand, were created during the prohibition era when there was no longer any need for liquor. These older brands have been aged longer, so they have a wonderfully rich flavor, but their price tag may put some people off.