10 Best Ryes of 2023! Judged Blind

These are our Top 10 Best Rye Whiskeys of 2023 that we scored and ranked blind! You can use the chapter markers to skip around if you like. What was your favorite Rye of 2023?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Would you like to pick a single barrel with us or have access to exclusive single-barrel picks? Join our Patreon at / itsbourbonnight
The glasses we use, t-shirts, hats, hoodies, coins, candles, and more: www.whiskeyambitions.com
Sagamore:
kegnbottle.com/products/sagam...
Social media? Oh, my, yes. @itsbourbonnight
Facebook? Yep. / itsbourbonnight
A few of our favorite things including books, bar tools, and other whiskey-related goodies can be found right here: www.amazon.com/shop/itsbourbo...
Wanna say hi? Please do. [e-mail]
PayPal, in case you want it: PayPal.Me/itsbourbonnight
Chapters:
0:00 Here We Go!
0:34 These chapter marks will let you skip around if you want
0:50 How we blind scored and ranked these ryes
2:43 The Double Check
4:02 Honorable Mentions (no. 15 - 11)
4:26 Number 10
5:00 Number 9
6:37 Number 8
7:42 Number 7
8:33 Number 6
9:55 Announcements, Patrons Shout-Outs!
10:45 Number 5
12:20 Number 4
13:45 Number 3
115:02 Number 2
17:07 Number 1 The Rye and Finished Rye of 2023
19:49 The Wrap Up
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE:
Any Amazon links used in this description will direct you to Amazon, and as an Amazon Associate, we earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All claims about alcohol, whether in this video, in this description, or on our channel, are intended only for those of the legal drinking age. All links provided here should only be accessed by those of the legal drinking age.
#WhiskeyTube #Bourbon #WhiskyTube

[@kay_jay_em]

Okay, after trying the Pursuit United (batch 8cd)….it is FANTASTIC…and the price is perfect. Need to get a Sagamore Port to compare but the Pursuit definitely blows the MWND out of the water at half the price.

[@BourbonPursuit]

Queue the music… WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS, NO TIME FOR LOSERS, ‘CAUSE WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!🌎 Thanks Chad & Sara! This is a really proud moment for us!

[@mikehintenach2503]

i’m guessing you didn’t get a chance to try the Sagamore 8 year Batch 2A. That is a great Rye whiskey.

[@6feetover]

Came in the comments to say this! Incredible rye. I bought 3 bottles. And I still see some on shelves.

[@christinecamley]

It’s delicious!

[@eb98100]

And it’s not finished

[@ItsBourbonNight]

You are correct.

[@jasonczfan8658]

Their 8 year rye was my favorite buy of all the whiskeys I bought this year

[@austinmartin2927]

I was lucky enough to be able to buy a Parker's Heritage rye this year for MSRP at 179.99, and I do not regret it at all!

[@ianreynolds494]

That New Riff is pretty much my imagined dream whiskey. LOVE their standard 6 Year Malted Rye so additional age at barrel proof for under $100 is pretty ideal. Hope I can find one in 2024.

[@RareBird101]

So glad y'all enjoyed Pride of Anderson County Rye. More coming this year (and even older). Cheers!

[@drgallup]

I've been a fan of Pursuit United since they started. I've got a bottle of that Sherry Finished rye! I also scored the Parkers Heritage 10 year at MSRP. The JD BP rye is just starting to show up around here but not for $60. I paid $100, hope it comes down before I need another.

[@seank1842]

Congrats on a great batch Kenny and Ryan @Pursuit! I haven't opened the Michters' 10 yr rye yet, but glad to know a couple other excellent options are hopefully more available on the shelf. I wonder where some other 4 gate ryes would fall or maybe an Old Carter?

[@socalbunz]

Always fun!! Great episode! Love me some ryes!

[@saltycat262]

Awesome!!!! I didn't think this was going to happen and I'm all about RYE!!! Thank you!

[@kay_jay_em]

The Pursuit Rye just released today at my local store. Excited to give it a try!

[@dennisweedman4374]

It's great to see Pursuit United get more KZbin love!

[@mswwalker12345]

I've been guilty of passing on rye whiskies for whatever reason. I don't really know why, just didn't give them the attention they deserved. Gonna go grab some of your recommendations here - assuming I can find them in the whiskey wasteland of Alabama... Cheers,

[@MrZanzibar123]

Love it. Was waiting for this one, thanks! (I fell hard for that Michters 10 year, and bought two of them after the first went way too fast.)

[@christinecamley]

The Michters is fabulous!

[@grapeandwhiskey]

Excellent job on your blind reviews. I stumbled across your channel since it's similar to ours, but we are Wine and Whiskey. I never knew there was another channel out there like what we were doing but I'm stoked to find yours. Keep doing what you're doing it's great. We loved that you keep a journal as well. If you ever want to work together on something, we would be down!

[@That_dude_who_knows_some_stuff]

Gotta say Jefferson Oceans Rye Voyage 26 was sent from God. Best juice I had last year.

[@nickp5511]

Nice list!

[@J53119]

Michters toasted rye is phenomenal. Can't beleive a 15th ranking.

[@odehhaddad3959]

No Sagamore 8 year or Old overholt 10???

[@ItsBourbonNight]

Couldn’t find either in 2023!

[@tommyrq180]

Jack SBBP Rye is really quite good. But it also varies quite a bit from barrel to barrel. I haven’t tried a bad one yet, but they can be quite different. JD is really giving us some superior value/proof/taste offerings-really impressive. There are still a LOT of people who see Jack Daniels and think JD Old #7 and how they barfed drinking it in college… Just great for us, selfishly! 😅

[@CM-pc4xu]

Yep bought all of them in my area because it's delicious.

[@seckler17]

Going to have to disagree on the Michter's toasted. That was fantastic this year. Rare Breed rye isn't even close to either Michters.

[@whatsthepoint170]

Thanks for these lists, they’re very helpful as usual. I agree with a lot of your selections, glad to see THH getting the credit it deserves. As the youngest member of BTAC family it certainly belongs in the collection. My only beef is with Michter’s Toasted Rye being at #15, behind rare breed and others. Maybe there’s a batch difference, but my bottle would easily finish top 3 for my palate. Cheers!

[@iansammons2730]

Love your blinding method... very well done.

[@eafarrar]

The Parker's Heritage was SUPER nutty. I'm glad I tried it before hunting down a bottle because, as much as I love Heaven Hill, that's not what I like in a rye. Interesting about the High 'N' Wicked -- my Total Wine has those on sale for $55...

[@319_Fishing]

Sagamore sherry finish is phenomenal!! I tried it next to the Pursuit and it knocked the pursuit out the water! Sagamore is one of my favorite ryes ive ever had

[@boydmasonlake1995]

Sagamore is my recent love affair

[@nick263]

Have about 2oz left in my bottle, scrambling to find a replacement

[@douglashall3191]

Great job! I also love that Pursuit United finished rye. I prefer it over MWND. Cheers!

[@cardiffgiant1724]

I don’t mix with Bourbon so everything needs to be sippable. But I love an Old Fashioned with a Rye so I have Ryes to sip and Ryes to mix. JDSBBP is an amazing sipper. The Pikesville is great either way and I love the OF 100 proof Rye as a straight mixer.

[@jclark42796]

One worth checking out for your 2024 list, Penelope Rye Tokaji Cask Finish

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

Fun video my friends.

[@mrjiggs8]

Old Overholt 10yr prob would be my top Rye of 2023.. great list nice to see some more affordable bottles at the top of the list.... Cheers Everyone 🥃🥃🥃🥃

[@ItsBourbonNight]

We couldn’t find one, would have loved to have included it!

[@snowboardpro707]

Thoughts on willet family estate, swamp fox distilling rye, and noble hound dark rye? Had a lot of ryes and those are my top 3

[@cartermayfield]

Some of the best weren’t mentioned… Sagamore 8 and Old Overholdt 10. Also, Hard Truth Batch 3 is a personal fave. I haven’t had any of the New Riff ryes, but I’ve heard good things.

[@christinecamley]

Sagamore 8 is spectacular!!

[@WellerWhiskey]

As is Hard Truth🥃

[@derickzellar6632]

I greatly enjoyed new riff Balboa and 6 year malted rye when I toured last year

[@xnick58x]

Was surprised to hear you guys arent really involved in the secondary market. Plenty of great resources and fair pricing on discord and other private groups.

[@eafarrar]

How do the batches of the Pursuit rye compare? My store looks to only have 8CD...

[@ryancecil1509]

Ryan, master blender for pursuit spirits. We try to keep our batches very similar. There will be slight variations because our batches are only 10 barrels but they will have familiar notes from batch to batch.

[@jonathanchappell4975]

Knob Creek Barrel Reserve (Total Wine Barrel) 115. Best rye for me!

[@EasyGiese]

I love rye. Better late than never on releasing this list. I will join the group and say no sagamore 8? I picked up the high note and haven’t opened yet! Looking forward to it even more now.

[@nickleone7444]

2 Pursuit Ryes in the top 15... wow.

[@hammer1901]

The “ you won’t find this stuff” list

[@jackh5926]

yea do ryes we can actually try

[@Thick_Soup_Stew]

Omg , DOUBLE OMG!! so I work overnight , before I went Yesterday I stopped at my local booze hole , found 3 varieties of Pursuit on the sale section, decided on the Rye Sherry French Revere... literally was having a sip as I watched the Vid and I lost my schnoodles when ya dropped the Bomb!!! Oh ya , its 11CC!

[@Thick_Soup_Stew]

I believe there was a 2nd , I may call in and pay for it....

[@B1gC4st]

Pride of Anderson County was 9 years old? I missed that part then. I thought it was like 13-14 range. Then that price be wild, just get a CN pick and be done.

[@ItsBourbonNight]

The bourbon was older than the rye, maybe that’s what you were thinking of?

[@jg5555]

Pardon my ignorance but regarding New Riff, is *malted* rye a normal thing? Great video & I might need that Rye Whiskey sweatshirt!

[@robertfowler714]

Definitely a smaller amount of producers do this…it raises the cost, and complexity…seen at more small “craft” distilleries. New riff really likes playing around with heritage grains and malting

[@gerhardschote8000]

Good evening from worlds no1 Rye Export Nation

[@WhiskyForBeginners]

By fits and starts, as budget allows (running even a Thoroughly Amateur™️ whisky channel on a small budget is...interesting 🙂) I'm experimenting with rye. Because I'm in the beginning stages I know almost nothing about the various brands, but I do know that I like Bulleit, Sagamore Spirit, and Knob Creek rye, and would sooner eat grass clippings than try Balcones 100 proof rye again. 🙂

[@877-MASH-NOW]

RYE CHEERS 😎

[@lifeofabron1082]

It's rye day Friday

[@erikibarra14]

Michters 10yr Rye is over $300 on secondary for batch H specifically. Otherwise it's around $250

[@goodcitizen5668]

Huh, my bottle of High N’ Wicked rye is 95/5 and 90 proof

[@ItsBourbonNight]

I noticed that, too, in a review I read about it. Our bottle has the 91/9 mash bill printed on the label. Weird!

[@sirjcc]

handy isn't 16 years as your screen text says, although I think Chad did verbally say it was 6 years

[@bryanbarrett732]

No old overholt 10??? That was the banger for me

[@GuamTheBear]

I'm surprised Whistlepig didn't make the cut

[@scoobtoober2975]

I'm in axe and oak limited 7 year cask strength. I hated it at first. And after some time and reviewers discussing the time and nuance. That maybe there. This hits way different. Side by side others it would score low. But the mentality of just trying to open you mind. Say it's going to be great and it lets you down, it hurts. Vs dig into and dissect it, there maybe a gem hiding. This one was hiding. It's like a Yirga Chefe coffee blasting blueberries vs a panama true geisha with subtle tea, floral jasmine. I not sure how to describe it better. Those food you need to be warned about. Or the wines you need to be coached into tasting. One bourbon example is woodford regular, i thought i didn't like it. Tried it a good bit through out a bottles worth. Tried to find good/bad. And settled on a few good notes but a few bigger off notes. Not my jam. Take you time. Great line up. New riff was good from a few tastings. Not a bottle on my shelf yet. Soon. Rittenhouse rye is new to my shelf, decent so far. Smooth, spice, lingering, not complex, but not boring.

[@michaeldellavella1658]

Boss Hog X -??? ❤

[@-RONNIE]

Thank you for the video but I don't like rye every time I try it

[@dewalt5599]

In a blind your looking for something to stand out so finished products tend to finish higher.

[@Mikecfountain]

Graphic on the THH says 16 years 2 months for age…

[@Max-oi3si]

You weren’t able to find a sag 8?

[@Max-oi3si]

Phenomenal bottle

[@MrBulldognyc]

That happens to people who don't get their shots

[@shuteng486]

It took 9months to get back my 👃 and 👅 senses back 😢

[@mero40k]

What was your lowest scoring Rye?

[@jasonczfan8658]

Corbin Cash out of California is making some good ryes. The 1917 is barrel proof is really good but their 7 year single barrels are the prize.

[@LinhTran-qx6gx]

Number 2 was skipped

[@CM-pc4xu]

Lmao michters toasted below wild turkey rare breed, and many others was laughable. Uh no...

[@J53119]

I tried it at a Michters tasting and was so excited to find one at a place known for putting out good bottles at random. I can't believe the ranking.

[@johnwill7962]

Pursuit Rye over THH and Saz18… let’s be real here

[@ryancecil1509]

It was blind 🤷‍♂️

[@laplantski]

Rare breed not making the top ten almost made me click off 😮 Almost ❤❤

[@eb98100]

Finished Rye should not be in this category. Terrible #1

[@ItsBourbonNight]

Well, we called out the finished aspect for a reason. If it doesn’t work for you, then adjust accordingly.

[@mrmikeyomann]

Your wife is so freaking gorgeous

[@zacharyrogers7778]

No way they weren’t paid for this list. pursuit rye is straight trash.

[@ItsBourbonNight]

We weren’t paid for this list. Let’s imagine for a second that Pursuit paid us to be number one. Man, they sure didn’t get their money’s worth considering P.S. Rye was at number 14, did they? Turns out people have different palates and like different things.

[@ryancecil1509]

We don’t have any money to pay them lol