Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey

Antoine Peychaud, a Creole immigrant, established a pharmacy on Royal Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter in 1838. Despite his profession as an apothecary, Peychaud was a born mixologist. After his pharmacy had closed, he would frequently call people over to prepare drinks for them, such as a concoction he made with brandy, absinthe, and a special mixture of bitters.

Peychaud’s cocktail gained enormous popularity in New Orleans. The drink was formalized in 1850 by Sewell Taylor, who owned the Sazerac Coffee House on Exchange Alley. Taylor imported and marketed only Sazerac de Forge et Fils Brandy. Taylor sold the Sazerac Coffee House to Thomas H. Handy in 1869, and by the turn of the century, a phylloxera outbreak had caused coffee shops—at the time, the phrase “coffee house” referred to a cocktail bar—to make the Sazerac with rye whiskey instead of brandy.

According to rumors, 51% rye, 39% corn, and 10% malted barley are mashed to make Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey. After distillation, a select number of barrels are wedded together after the whiskey has been matured in the Kentucky heat for at least six years. The whiskey smells of rye, malt, cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper. It is copper-bronze in color. On the palate, the scent transitions to notes of chewy caramel, vanilla, spicy rye, and candied citrus before finishing with a hint of rye and dried fruits.

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible gave Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey REVIEW a score of 94.5, and Wine Enthusiast gave it a score of 95, deeming it a “Best Buy.” It also won the Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the Best American Rye Whiskey Award at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition.

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Notes on Tasting

The color is copper-bronze. aroma of black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, malt, and rye. The taste has hints of candied citrus, vanilla, peppery rye, and chewy caramel. finishes with a hint of rye and dried fruits.

Concerning Rye

First made in the American Northeast in the 1600s, rye whiskey is as American as the bald eagle. Its origin cannot be denied because even George Washington distilled it after leaving the Oval Office.
Its distinct and original spicy undertones set it apart from bourbon.

Rye whiskey is required by law to be made with at least 51% rye grain, aged for at least two years in new and charred oak barrels, and bottled at a maximum alcohol content of 62.5%.

Explore our Treasury of the Best Rye Bottles Under $100, discover your new favorites in The Best-Reviewed Rye Whiskeys, and have a look at our remarkable range of rye whiskeys.