The winter months are the perfect time of year to make boozy, warming cocktails. And in the pantheon of classic drinks, none is more beloved than the timeless Old Fashioned. This popular cocktail has never seemed to go out of style since it was created in the late 1800s. It’s traditionally made with whiskey, sugar, and Angostura bitters.
But while many people lean towards the sweet corn flavor of bourbon as the base, you might be surprised to learn that most historical recipes actually call for rye whiskey. Thus creating a spicier, more herbal, better-balanced Old Fashioned. That’s what we’re most interested in today.
A timeless history
No list of classic cocktails is complete without the Old Fashioned. While there are multiple stories about its origins, one of the most widely accepted traces its origins back to the 1880s at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky. This is when renowned bartender and distiller James E. Pepper is believed to have created the drink.
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I’ve had my fair share of Old Fashioneds in my years of imbibing cocktails. I’ve found that the combination of rye whiskey, muddled sugar, water, and Angostura bitters is tough to beat. All of the flavors work together in perfect unison. The sweetness of the sugar, the baking spice essence of the Angostura bitters, and the peppery, herbal kick of the rye whiskey are as perfect as a cocktail gets.
The best rye whiskeys for your Old Fashioned
Now that you’ve learned a little about the appeal of using rye whiskey (as opposed to bourbon or any other whiskey style) for the base of an Old Fashioned, it’s time to find some bottles to add to your home bar cart for mixing.
When picking a rye whiskey to mix with, you don’t want to go to the bottom shelf, but you also don’t want to overspend for a mixing whiskey. Your best bet is to go middle of the road and grab a well-made, flavorful rye whiskey that won’t break the bank. Below, you’ll find some of the best, well-balanced rye whiskeys on the market. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Rittenhouse Rye
There aren’t many named in the rye whiskey world that are more well-known than Rittenhouse. Every home bar should have a bottle of this iconic whiskey. Especially if you plan to make an Old Fashioned or two. This value-priced bottle-in-bond 100-proof expression was matured for a minimum of 4 years. It is well-known for its nose of caramelized sugar, dried fruit, vanilla beans, orange peels, and peppery rye. The palate is loaded with flavors like oak, maple candy, chocolate, toffee, raisins, and rye spice. The finish is long, warm, and ends with a nice mix of caramel sweetness and peppery spice. At 50% ABV, this is a great choice for cocktails, especially the Old Fashioned.
$23.99
WhistlePig 6 Year PiggyBack Rye
If you’re a fan of WhistlePig, you have a lot to choose from when it comes to rye whiskey. But we think the best choice for an Old Fashioned in terms of value to quality is WhistlePig 6 Year Piggyback. This memorable rye whiskey is made with a 100% rye mash bill. It’s matured for at least six years, giving it a spicy, balanced flavor profile that belongs on your home bar cart. Crack open a bottle, and you’ll be met with scents of pipe tobacco, toffee, vanilla, oak, and cracked black pepper. Sipping it reveals notes of brown sugar, vanilla beans, dried orange peels, charred oak, and rye spice. The finish is a mix of cinnamon candy, cracked black pepper, and vanilla beans. This is a bold, spicy whiskey well-suited for mixing.
$40.99
Frey Ranch Straight Rye
If you’ve never tried anything from Nevada’s Frey Ranch, start with its Frey Ranch Straight Rye. Perfect for your evening Old Fashioned, this epic expression is an award-winning whiskey made with 100% winter cereal rye. Matured for at least 5 years, this bottled-in-bond whiskey is bottled at a potent and mixable 100-proof. The result is a spicy, balanced sipping whiskey that opens with aromas of caramel, dried fruits, oak, candied orange peels, chocolate, and rye spice. The palate is centered on notes of toasted vanilla beans, butterscotch, cocoa, raisins, charred oak, and peppery rye. The finish is lingering and warm, ending with a nice combination of sweetness and spice. The high proof ensures that this whiskey will shine even with the other ingredients.
$38.99
Old Overholt Bottled-in-Bond
Old Overholt is a favorite of bartenders and home mixologists alike. Made with a mash bill of 80% rye and 20% malted barley, this bottled-in-bond whiskey was aged for a minimum of 4 years and bottled at 100 proof. This creates a memorable, mixable whiskey that begins with a nose of cinnamon candy, orchard fruits, toffee, charred oak, and peppery rye. Sipping it reveals hints of maple candy, vanilla cookies, caramelized sugar, oak, wintry spices, and cracked black pepper. The finish is long, warm, and ends with a mix of sticky toffee pudding and peppery rye. At 100-proof, it won’t get lost behind the other Old Fashioned ingredients.
$22.99
