American Rye: A Guide to the Nation's Original Spirit

What is going on with rye whiskey? Suddenly it seems both experienced and new whiskey lovers are turning to rye as their primary object of interest. And just as suddenly it seems the market is flooded with new offerings of this “old fashioned” spirit. Bartenders have long relied on its spicy and herbaceous flavors—and the high proof—for cocktails. But the growth from just a dozen brands 15 years ago to more than 225 today is unprecedented in the spirits market. Why rye? What separates it from bourbon, Tennessee, and single malt whiskey? What is “Pennsylvania” and “Maryland” rye? And how do you pick the right rye for your weekend cocktails and which rye might one reserve for siping with a close friend? What are the value for money selections and why? Now author and spirits expert Clay Risen brings a road map to the phenomena of rye. In a detailed introduction, American Rye: A Guide to the Nation’s First Spirit offers readers a history of rye, how it’s distilled, aged, and earns its distinguishing qualities. Sections include info on how to start collecting rye, read a whiskey label, and how to have a whiskey tasting with friends. Extensive and detailed accounts follow organized alphabetically by distillery and brand. More than 230 expressions include proof, age, average price, tasting notes (nose, palate, finish), and is rated on a four-star scale. Over the course of 18 months, the author with a group of experts “blind tasted” each and every one—a first for a spirits book of this scale. The result is a groundbreakingly innovative and invaluable asset for the whiskey lover navigating the world of American rye.

Clay Risen is a reporter and editor at The New York Times and the bestselling author of Single Malt: A Guide to the Whiskies of Scotland; American Whiskey, Bourbon and Rye: A Guide to the Nation’s Favorite Spirit; and The Crowded Hour: Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, and the Dawn of the American Century. A graduate of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and the University of Chicago, he grew up in Nashville and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and two young children.