Founded in 1992, Knob Creek is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. And to commemorate the occasion, Knob Creek has introduced its first rye whiskey, a 100 proof spirit that pays homage to America’s favorite pre-prohibition drink. Aside from a 20th anniversary present to itself – and to its legion of Knob Creek Bourbon fans – Knob Creek Rye was introduced to address the growing trend of craft spirits and contemporary cocktail culture, especially within the rye whiskey category. It’s nice to see Knob Creek playing in this field, though it does seem like a late entrance from the...

Jefferson’s Straight Rye Whiskey is the newest addition to the Jefferson’s portfolio, which also includes three small batch bourbons. Released in August 2011, Jefferson’s Rye is a 10-year old 100% North American rye. Though the bottle doesn’t specify, the rye is purportedly from Canada. Given its age, origin and similar flavor profile, one has to wonder if the rye whiskey source is the same as WhistlePig, another 100% Canadian rye. Jefferson’s founder and master blender Trey Zoeller combed through many barrels of aged rye whiskeys before settling on the right components for Jefferson’s Rye. Let’s see how he did. On the nose,...

Bulleit Rye is a new offering from the fine folks behind Bulleit Bourbon. The bourbon already boasts a relatively high rye content, but the new Bullet Rye Whiskey is composed of 95% rye grains, a much higher concentration than the mandated 51%. The golden amber spirit has aromas of oak, dark fruits and mellow vanilla. Take a sip for an instant hit of cherry on your tongue. The taste moves toward nuts, toffee and spice, plus some more fruit. It finishes dry and chewy with lasting notes of maple and oak. At 90 proof, Bulleit Rye is still very smooth on the...

The Algonquin Cocktail is named for the Algonquin Hotel in New York, a popular meeting place for writers during the early 1900s, including the troupe that comprised the famed Algonquin Round Table. The cocktail is one of those drinks where the creator must have rummaged through his booze stash and fridge, found it to be lacking and said, “what the hell, let’s give this a shot.” Composed of rye whiskey, dry vermouth and pineapple juice, it doesn’t seem particularly appealing, but therein lies the appeal. The drink is a great mixture of sweet and dry. It’s got that familiar, bracing bite of...

Templeton Rye is a small batch rye whiskey aged for more than four years in charred new white oak barrels. Templeton traces its roots back to prohibition. When booze was outlawed in 1920, some enterprising residents of tiny Templeton, Iowa came together to create Templeton Rye Whiskey. Templeton was purportedly a favorite of Al Capone and became very popular during Prohibition. Fast forward several decades, and the first legal batch of Templeton was bottled in 2006, still adhering to that same Prohibition-era recipe. While rye whiskeys only need 51% of their makeup to be composed of rye grains, Templeton is...

Who can resist a cocktail as comforting (in name, at least) as the Old Pal?  Sure it’s got the spicy bite of rye whiskey and the bitter charm of Campari, but the unifying addition of dry vermouth brings it all together. The Old Pal first appeared in the 1922 edition of "Harry's ABC's of Cocktails," a drinks compendium compiled by the head barkeep of Harry's New York Bar in Paris. It’s stout and delicious – the perfect combination to brace yourself against a cold day. Or just your run-of-the-mill weekday. Old Pal 1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey 3/4 ounce dry vermouth 3/4 ounce Campari Stir all...

WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey is a 10-year old, 100 proof, 100 percent Canadian rye spirit bottled at the WhistlePig Farm in Vermont. The whiskey officially launched in November, and its first batch of just 1,000 cases has already received some impressive reviews, including a rating of 96 points by Wine Enthusiast. Now for some thoughts from Cocktail Enthusiast -- WhistlePig Rye is dark golden amber with aromas of oak, pepper, cinnamon and honeyed vanilla. It tastes of caramel and vanilla, with some nutty flavors as well as an interesting background of mild mint. It finishes moderately long, with pleasant flavors of...

Rye whiskey is back, and in a big way.  The recently released 2010 edition of the Whisky Bible, the prominent whiskey book by Jim Murray, has named Kentucky’s 18-year-old Sazerac Rye  as the finest whiskey on the market.  It edged out Scotland’s second-place Ardbeg Supernova—which has dominated the awards for several years—and a relative newcomer to the mix, third-place Amrut Fusion from Bangalore, India. Jim Murray described Sazerac’s 18-year-old Rye as "reaching previously unknown heights,” and mentions that by being named the world’s top whiskey, Sazerac 18 has “set the bar for rye whiskey, and it will be fascinating in...

The Manhattan, a classic cocktail and a favorite among serious drinkers, is a great way to pass the time. Traditionally composed of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters, the Manhattan is a perfect drink to enjoy on a cool fall day.  Or any day. But with the onset of fall, one might elect to change up the tried-and-true Manhattan to create a drink even more indicative of the season.  By using tawny port in place of sweet vermouth, the traditional Manhattan becomes a bit more complex and warms the soul as it soothes the thirsty drinker.  Subbing orange bitters for...

The word “scofflaw” applies to one who flouts the law.  During the dark days of Prohibition, this term was a popular one, thrown at those brave, thirsty souls forced into hidden speakeasies by their own government. With a disapproving nod to the west, Harry’s New York Bar in Paris created the Scofflaw cocktail in 1924, giving a new, tasty meaning to the term.  Traditionally composed of rye, dry vermouth, fresh lemon juice and grenadine, some modern interpretations have substituted Canadian blended whiskey for straight rye and Chartreuse for grenadine.  I prefer to stick with the original recipe. The Scofflaw 1 1/2 ounces rye 1...