THE SPIRIT OF RYE
WINE ENTHUSIAST
American Rye Whiskey Is Having a Moment
BY KARA NEWMAN
Rye whiskey, noted for its strength and spice, is on the
ascent. While rye itself—defined as a whiskey made with at least 51% rye
grain—has been around for centuries, there have never been so many variations
and expressions available. Today, it seems like every distillery has its own spin on the historic spirit, from the use of heirloom grains to unusual cask finishes.
Unlike
corn-based bourbon, which can only be made in the U.S., rye
can be made anywhere. Both the grain and whiskey made from it have
globe-spanning roots. Since the Middle Ages, rye grain has been cultivated in
central and eastern Europe, where it was valued as an ingredient in bread, writes Carlo DeVito in his 2021 book The Spirit of
Rye. From
there, the hardy grain, which flourishes in cooler climates, found its way to the British Isles and what is now Scandinavia
and was brought by colonists to the U.S.
“It was
a popular grain because it was easy to grow and a reliable winter cash crop for
states within New England as well as New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, the Dakotas, Minnesota and Michigan,” DeVito says—all areas that now have
regional rye whiskey heritages. “It was no surprise then that many of the first
distilleries in Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania predominantly produced rye
whiskeys.”
By the
1820s, rye whiskey had started to become a barrel-aged product. But a decade
later, when Prohibition went into effect, many U.S. distilleries ceased or reduced
operations, and American rye became harder to procure. Canadian whiskey,
including rye, featured prominently in bootlegging to the U.S. during
Prohibition.
Rye never
really recovered from Prohibition; even after World War II, whiskey from Canada, Ireland and Scotland took up the slack. As American
distilleries attempted to restart operations, bourbon made headway first. It
wasn’t until the cocktail resurgence of the late 1990s and early aughts that
demand for American rye returned: The lean, spicy whiskey plays well in mixed
drinks, and was specifically called for in many classic recipes.