High Rye Bourbons

Nowadays, Bourbon drinkers have many choices to choose from. We live in an era where bourbon is a common topic. It is fascinating to talk about bourbon at a social gathering and find passionate people expressing their opinions about what is overrated or underrated.

In this article, I want to double click on one of many variants of bourbon, such as the high rye mash bill. My task is simple: I choose four bourbons with a high rye mash bill and have these in a blind tasting. Finally, I will rank the bourbons from 1 to 4. (1 being my favorite)

Things to Keep in Mind

• Whiskies will vary in alcohol strength. Some will be barrel-proof, and some will be just above 40% ABV. I will not add any water to bourbons in the latter category.
• All bourbons are available in the USA from known brands. I will not review allocated bourbons.
• My review is a personal opinion. You might have a very different perspective and welcome that.

Defining High Rye Bourbon

There is no legal definition for high rye bourbon, but from experience, it is often referred to as bourbon with a rye percentage above 18% and 20% as a secondary grain. As most bourbon fans know, bourbon must have at least 51% corn, with the secondary grain open to the distillery’s choice. An example of a high rye mash bill could be 51% corn, 25% rye and 20% wheat, and 4% malted barley.

The Bourbon Flight

Bulleit Bourbon

• Distillery: Sourced
• Region: Kentucky
• Whisky Type: Straight Bourbon
• Mash Bill: 68% Corn, 28% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
• ABV: 45%
• Aged in Barrel: New charred American oak

1792 Small Batch Bourbon

• Distillery: Barton 1792 Distillery
• Region: Kentucky
• Whisky Type: Straight Bourbon
• Mash Bill: Undisclosed but marketed as high rye (20% or higher)
• ABV: 46.85%
• Aged in Barrel: New charred American oak

Breckenridge 105

• Distillery: Breckenridge
• Region: Colorado
• Whisky Type: Bourbon Blend
• Mash Bill: 56% corn, 38% rye, 6% malted rye
• ABV: 52.5% (105% proof)
• Aged in Barrel: New charred American oak (Level 3 char)

New Riff Single Barrel (Barrel 16-11015)

• Distillery: New Riff
• Region: Kentucky
• Whiskey Type: Single Barrel Straight Bourbon/ Cask Strength/Non-Chill Filtered
• Mash Bill: 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley
• ABV: 52.7% (105.4% proof)
• Aged in Barrel: Toasted and new charred oak

The Ranking and Highlights  

1. New Riff Single Barrel (#1). Good balance. Sweet and spicy palate and a longer-than-expected finish.
2. Bulleit Bourbon (#2). Intense flavors of fruits, caramel, and oak. Slightly bitter taste from the oak. Not super complex but has character. Great for cocktails.
3. 1792 Small Batch (#3). Medium intensity, fruity, and softer palate than the bourbons above. Oak and cinnamon are very noticeable.
4. Breckenridge 105 (#4). Another surprise. Breck 105 is my go-to high rye bourbon for cocktails, but it felt too spicy this time when enjoyed neat. Nonetheless, it is still a great bourbon.

Conclusion:  Doing a blind tasting is a great educational experience because it takes away all the marketing and “history” and focuses on the flavors and the experience. I did not expect to like New Riff as much as I did, especially after giving it 2.5/5 in my review. However, that was two years ago. Perhaps my palate has changed to bourbons that are more balanced and less focused on bold spices, or it could be all relative to the bourbons tasted on this flight. I would like to know what you think. Cheers!

Don’t forget to watch my reel on these 4 high rye bourbons on my Instagram.