Great list! Only other one that comes to mind for me is the Sazerac. But your list for that price range is pretty much spot on for me. Can't wait to see the blind taste-off on these.
I really enjoy the budget vids. I have plenty of coin to drop on big bottles but I find it more fun to find the hidden affordable gems, as well as finding big name bottles for retail or close to retail price…more rewarding in my opinion
I'd suggest Sazerac Rye. I've found it for as low as $25. Regarding your picks here, I like them all but sometimes I get a wintergreen note with the Bulleit that's a bit overwhelming. Great picks though!
For me, Wild Turkey 101 Rye dominates the $20 price range, hands down. Plenty of rye whiskies in that range are "good for the price",.. but the WT 101 Rye would still be good to me at twice the price.
A friend recommended Redemption Rye which is also 95% Rye. It's similar in flavor profile to what you describe of Bulleit. It's in the $28 range. I was blown away by it. My Dad was a rye drinker and I've always favored single malt Scotch, but I'll keep a bottle of Redemption around and try some of your other suggestions.
I’ve only had a handful of Ryes, but two that have stood out is Woodford Reserve Rye, which is a little over the $20 mark, and George Dickel rye. One of my local cocktail bars makes a terrific Old Fashioned with George Dickel rye
Thanks for making the video! That is some top notch community interaction. I'd throw High West Double Rye in that list. I know others have mentioned it goes north of $30, but I'm my area I can get it for $25 - $28.
I love High West products. I wish I could find the Double Rye under $30 but i just can't. Plus it's getting harder for me to find. They've pulled so much product distribution back to "Utah Only" , or to distillery releases, I can hardly find anything. I am curious about the Double Rye now that they are releasing more of their own distillate instead of the MGP stuff. I think that accounts for the distribution impact as well. High West is ALWAYS a good choice.
HW Double rye is pretty good for 25-30 but now it’s creeping up to low/mid 30s which I would pass on as a regular. One time to try though? Low 30s is justifiable.
Great ryes selected. Maybe add Old Overholt (80 proof). Excellent for cocktails. The Old Overholt bottled in bond is excellent, too, but sells for more than the $20~ price limit
George Dickel Rye. Terrific flavor, $20 (here in Florida), and 45% ABV. Yes, I know it’s an MGP but it’s tasty, available, and such an easy sipper. It does give you the dill which some people do not like. I just think it makes it different from those you featured. Great show, as usual.
Awesome lineup. I spent seven years working at a liquor store (for my sins in a previous life). Having gotten to taste $50 and $100 and $300 a bottle whiskeys (I had to buy my own $45 taster of Pappy), I'd say your list includes everything I used to recommend to customers who wanted a good bottle within a liquor store clerk's budget.
Elijah Craig Bourbon has slowly become my go to daily drinker. It runs in the $35 range in Maryland and the Rye is about $40, so to see it in the $20 range makes me pretty jealous.
I bought a bottle of the Bulleit rye because I wanted to try an extremely high rye whiskey as I've never tried one before. It's probably the smoothest pour I've ever had! Not one bit of alcohol burn and very minty! I'm not getting any real spice that people say is in a higher rye, but it was a great buy for $26 at my local Walmart here in Arizona. Actually it was only $23 because there was a $3 off coupon hanging off of the neck of the bottle. I really like you and Trent, I subscribed to your channel several months ago.
Your videos have helped me to select such a great choices in my bar... not to mention new drinks to serve my friends and wife . She loves my martinis .... Watching you is indeed an education...
I love your videos. I started with vodka and rum when I was first drinking. I actually fell in love with single malt scotch, heavily peated scotch. Then I started to wrap back around to American whiskey and Bourbon and Rye and the like. Your videos have been so helpful in building my knowledge and love of whiskey. Thank you for everything you do. Keep the good work up.
I'm not sure if this will have enough Rye in the mash bill to meet your criterion, but Old Grand Dad BiB is supposed to have a high rye mash bill, and brings that spice and complexity to the party. At ~$22 it fits the price range.
After new years I went in a local store and found that barrell's cask strength bourbon was marked down from $95 to $35 a bottle. I bought two. There is absolutely no burn in the chest at almost 140 proof but the rye spice is soooo intense in the mouth. Not sure if I'm a rye guy. Pikesville is good but I'm going to sit this one out since I'm not sure I can make a quality recommendation.
You absolutely need to try George Dickel Rye, even if it doesn't get picked for the taste-off. Its $24 at Binny's and has a great spice/flavor to it. It's my everyday sipper!
Also a video idea, would be interested to know both of your favorite drinking accessories. Favorite glasses, or decanters, how your ice is made. Something like that would be cool.
I like George Dickel Rye quite a bit. It's also a MGP 95 rye, but it goes through the charcoal filtering similar to a Tennessee whisky. Old Overholt Bonded is worth a try, too. And on the under $20 side, Ezra Brooks is another MGP rye that I have used for cocktails. I had no complaints about it.
For the blind taste test dont reveal them till the end rank them from worst to 1st then reveal. Great content you got me into bourbon never miss a video. Thank you 😊
Reading through the comments, I saw mentions of Woodford Reserve Rye, Michters Rye, High West Double Rye and many mentions of Sazarac Rye....all of which are north of $30.00 in my area (upstate SC). Staying in the $20-30 range (in my area), I would suggest the MGP sourced Redemption Rye (92 PF - Mash bill - 95% Rye - 5% Malted Barley).
YES SIR!!!! I love Bulleit Rye!!! I use that in my Sazerac and other cocktails!!! I really like Knob Creek as well because of the ABV. Awesome video!!!! CHEERS!!!!
Love your videos!! Reminds me of the old fire side chats. I really look forward to them and makes me think of family. That said,, I have to throw in Sazerac 6 Year Old Rye Whiskey750ml 4.6 out of 5 stars. Read reviews for average rating value is 4.6 of 5. 4.6 available @ total wine & more. $19.99
I know you are a bourbon guy, but thank you for this. I am building up a bar and doing so a little at a time as I need to save money. This will help make a better choice on a budget.
My goto rye is Sazerac rye cost around $25 in my neighborhood. I like the burn and has the right amount of spice. Enjoy all your videos. I wonder does Trenton have a face?
So happy to see a merch link, Kurt...speaking as a Taurean, looking forward to getting some STRONG LIKE BULL items! Meanwhile, I'd say that ALL the ryes I've tried (Sazerac, Angel's Envy, Smooth Ambler Contradiction Rye, Rabbit Hole Boxergrail, Michter's & Old Forester 100) have impressed the HELL out of me...whereas it can be hit or miss with some bourbon picks. Seeing Elijah Craig and WT have Rye offerings?...I'm IN, as long as I can find them...same goes for either of the ryes Heaven Hill has to offer...Bulleit and Old Forester are easy to find (thank goodness for the OF, as it's one of my favorite brands, overall).
As a baker who loves using Rye Wheat and a drinker of Rye Whiskey it warmed the cockels of my heart to see Bulleit with it's 95% Mash Bill represented here. Thanks for the confirmation.
Truly blown away. Probably because I wasn’t expecting much but not sure why that was the case. Haven’t heard anything bad about Bulleit so I had a preconceived notion in my head and I was dead wrong!
MGP's 95% rye mashbill is delicious, and contrasts well with the Kentucky-style ryes that use corn to sweeten the flavor. But I just love the new Old Forester Rye - what a balanced and flavorful pour for the price. For the ringer, I'd suggest including either Jim Beam''s or Buffalo Trace's rye at this price point.
Bulleit first got me into rye. I do like the Rittenhouse and Old Forester too. My standard rye is Old Overholt BIB though. I use rye mostly in Manhattans, and the Old Overholt made the best one for my palate. I prefer the Bulleit for sipping, and the Old Forester too, though it goes well both ways.
The key to this whole exercise is having a Costco membership. Bulleit Rye is $34 for 1.75L. High West Double Rye is $26 for 750 mL. Can't go wrong with either.
Also, I LOVE Sazerac but I haven't been able to find a bottle for months. A major retailer in Minneapolis is letting customers use their loyalty points to enter a lottery to buy a bottle!!
Being from Cape town South Africa and an Bourbon lover..........certainly love your revue's. All though some Bourbons are not available here it is still awesome to here about them. Regards Stephen
Burned thru a bottle of EC Rye so def high on my list. Working thru WT101 and Old Elk but looking to head out this weekend for a few more and have to try Bulleit and Sazerac. Thanks as always and looking forward to the blind taste vid.
I would say Knob Creek rye which I think is absolutely delicious…. (but it is very hard to find for less than 30 which basically disqualifies it). So my back up TRUE budget choice would be Old Overholt rye. 1 liter for 25 or less. Turkey 101 is an excellent choice just slightly too minty for my taste to be an every day. I actually am not too impressed with regular bulleit rye. The 12 year is pretty decent though… OLd forester rye is definitely respectable and deserves a place on the list. I haven’t tried Elijah Craig rye yet but by me in New York it is almost universally over 30 bucks so I don’t feel like it belongs on this “20$” list. Rotten house rye. Excellent choice. I would probably rank this as the best if not the runner up as the king of this category. Great list. Keep up the good work. Love the content.😀 Cheers!
@@slbdrinks honestly though, you have to draw the line somewhere on the price so I think you did the right thing. I actually saw it all over South Carolina when I was on vacation for more like low 40s which shocked me.
I’ve seen one other mention of this bottle, Redemption Rye is my current rye of choice. Comes in right at $22, and has all the beautiful, flowery, spicy flavors of something like Whistlepig at a great price.
Basil Hayden Dark Rye. Not sure the price point, since I received it as a Christmas gift. T’was quite delicious with dark caramel tones and a smooth finish. Quite sweet.
I’m a big fan of Basil Dark Rye too. It is about $50 usd. But really smooth and spicy straight. I would like to get its cousin from Canada. Alberta dark horse rye. It looks as dark as night. Lol. ✌️🥃
One that is in the top of my list that maybe off most folks radar is James E Pepper 1776 100 proof I don't think it will win in voting but sometime you should give it a try if you haven't all ready. Thank's for sharing your video's! Update! make sure to look at the label close and get the Rye and not get the Bourbon one the labels are about the same. (did not really like there Bourbon)
@@davidcolgan3268 I originally bought the James E Pepper 1776 Rye just for that reason to make cocktails and tried it neat first and liked it so much, I had to go back to the liquor store and buy something else to make cocktails with I like it so well.
Hey Curt, Michters Rye is always on the list for me. If I see it I grab it. Delicious neat or in a cocktail! EC Rye is also always in my cabinet when I can find it!
I snagged High West Double Rye at $27 and boy was I disappointed...I won't be back at any price. I can find Crown Rye at just under $30, I think it's HIGHLY underrated as a mixer for OF and Manhattans.
Sazerac rye, or Templeton rye. I like Sazerac a little better but in my area can be hard to find and push the price limit. LOVED your twenty dollar bourbon video. I think we must have similar tastes in whisky because that's how those bourbon s shake out for me.
Rittenhouse is my rye of choice. I love the flavor of it. Perfect to sip on in the fall and winter and amazing in an old fashioned. For $20-25 bucks, I can't beat it.
the video close ups of the bottles looks great...that wooden cap on the Elijah with the wood grain , compared to the screw cap on OF was striking...but ...it's whats inside that counts..
I’ve not really gotten heavy into rye but I did grab a rittenhouse for cocktails and accidentally bought a WT101 rye instead of the bourbon that i will try soon. I was in louisville and tried the bulleit but didn’t really like it. My best friend recommended the angels envy rye and i love it so i also purchased a baby saz, a templeton 10, a whistle pig 10 year that is 17 year old alberta rye as well as the new boss hog and a Midsummers night dram. Oh I did get a bourye that i also liked. looking forward to trying them all poolside this summer!
I totally agree with Bulleit rye . I think most Bulleit products are just ok , but their rye is impressive . How about your 5 favorite Irish whiskeys for $20-$29.99 ?
This is the 3rd Rye video I've seen tonight/ this morning. Several list some in common. Thanks for the content and good suggestions for my next haul. 🥃🥃
I got the great taste of Bulleit Rye while tasting at their distillery. Because of your excellent program I am looking for additional bourbon shelving, but finding less expensive bourbons is a great retirement hobby here in Louisville🍹
