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Rye whiskey describes two types of whiskies, theoretically distilled from rye.

In the United States, "rye whiskey" is, by law, made from a mash of at least 51 percent rye. (The other ingredients of the mash are usually corn and malted barley.) It is distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof, and aged in oak barrels. The whiskey must be put into the barrels at no more than 125 (U.S.) proof.^[1] Rye whiskey was the prevalent whiskey of the northeastern states, especially Pennsylvania and Maryland, but largely disappeared after Prohibition. It was still being made in Maryland in the early 1960s but is now no longer made there. Its production is now being revived, but in Kentucky, by bourbon producers.

Stronger in flavor than Bourbon, rye whiskey is sometimes referred to as America's equivalent of an Islay whisky^[2]

Contents 1 Canadian/Rye differences 2 Bourbon/Rye differences 3 Distillers 4 Specialities 5 Rye Bottlings 5.1 American Rye 5.2 Canadian Rye 6 Rye Whiskey in popular culture 7 References

Canadian whisky is also called "rye whisky" in Canada and in some portions of the United States, as historically much of the content was from rye. Today, however, most Canadian rye whisky is blended with only a small portion, if any, coming from rye. Popular brands are Canadian Club and Crown Royal. In Canada, almost all Canadian Whisky is labeled as Rye Whisky with the exception of those which contain effectively no rye. There is no legal requirement for rye to be included in the blend used to make "Rye Whisky" in Canada^[3]. The only remaining 100% rye Rye Whisky made in Canada is Alberta Premium.

Rye is known for imparting what many call a "peppery" flavor to the whiskey, and it also has a bitter quality. Bourbon is distilled from at least 51% corn mash (though it may contain rye as well), and has a very different flavor. Bourbon is noticeably sweeter, and tends to be slightly heavier bodied than rye. The two whiskeys can be used fairly interchangeably in cocktails calling for one or the other, though all other things being equal, the character of the cocktail will be somewhat drier with rye. Further, there are those who maintain that certain cocktails that were traditionally made with rye, such as the Manhattan, are better that way.

In 1996, Fritz Maytag of the Anchor Brewery in San Francisco, California, began distilling Old Potrero Single Malt Whiskey under the label Anchor Distilling. The whiskey is made from 100 percent malted rye, and is one of the few single malt whiskeys produced in the United States.

The major distillers of straight rye whiskey are Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace and Wild Turkey.

Other brands include Old Overholt, Sazerac, Van Winkle Family Reserve, Rittenhouse, Michter's and Pikesville.

"Rock and Rye" is a liqueur made from rye whiskey with fruit flavorings (primarily citrus), with a bit of rock candy (crystallized sucrose) in the bottle. It is also the name of a toddy made with rye whiskey, bitters and rock candy.

• Anchor Distilling Company
  • Old Potrero
  • Old Potrero 18th Century (100% rye mash, oak barrels are toasted rather than charred as for modern whiskey)
  • Old Portrero Hotaling's
• Austin Nichols (Pernod Ricard)
  • Wild Turkey
• Buffalo Trace
  • Sazerac 6 Year
  • Sazerac 18 Year
• Classic Cask
  • Classic Cask Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 21 Year
• Heaven Hill
  • Rittenhouse Rye 80 proof
  • Rittenhouse Rye 100 proof Bottled In Bond
  • Pikesville
  • Vintage 23 Year
  • Vintage 21 Year
• Jim Beam
  • Jim Beam Rye (Yellow Label)
• Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, Ltd
  • Red Hook Rye 23 Year (not to be confused with the rye beer made by Redhook Ale Brewery )
• Michters American Whiskey Co.
  • Michters
  • Michters 10 Year
• Old Overholt
• Old Rip Van Winkle (now distilled by Buffalo Trace)
  • Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year
• Templeton Rye
• Tuthilltown Spirits
  • Hudson Manhattan Rye
  • Government Warning Rye
• Wild Turkey
  • Wild Turkey Rye Whiskey

• Alberta Premium (100% rye)
• Canadian Club
• Crown Royal

• Rye whiskey features prominently in much hardboiled fiction, particularly the works of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler.^{[citation needed]}
• In Trailer Park Boys, Trailer Park Supervisor Jim Lahey's main choice of drink (in excess) is rye.
• The chorus of Don McLean's 1971 hit American Pie contains the line "And good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye."

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