My Favorite Rye Is As Good As E.H. Taylor and Michter's – For A Fraction Of The Cost

Rye Whiskey is having a moment, with the best stuff competing with even our favorite bourbons for space on bar shelves and in cocktails. Knob Creek, Michter's, and EH Taylor have all released fun, experimental ryes this year, but none are as affordable as the delicious Green River Kentucky Straight Rye.

Technically the 10th oldest distillery in Kentucky, Green River distillery has had a wild ride since its founding in 1885. It has been burned, evicted, closed, abandoned, condemned as filth, and sold numerous times.

His Owensboro, Kentucky, operation was doing well throughout 1918, winning awards and producing liquor for the Marines, backed by the slogan “Whiskey Without Regrets,” which was 100% medically sound. Then, a “mysterious” fire struck the distillery, destroying all 40,000-plus barrels and most of the surrounding buildings. And less than two years later, Prohibition began.

While the distillery was rebuilt and sold in the 1940s, Green River as a brand was shelved in the mid-1950s. The owners eventually sold it to Angostura (yes, of the bitters), which in turn closed the distillery after the 2008 financial crisis.

The brand was revived in 2014, but has only been on shelves for two years. Since then, it’s released six expressions, half of which are due in 2024. That includes Straight Rye, which has been my go-to since its January launch. It’s not often that one of these long-dead brands returns with muscular releases and good long-term prospects, but for me, this is a delicious, high-rye Cinderella story.

Green River Kentucky Straight Rye has 95% rye in its mash bill—well above the 51% required for this style. So yes, it’s a little spicy. The spicy marg isn’t spicy, or even the spicy TikTok Goldfish cracker isn’t spicy, but it’s definitely something you taste—and damn if it’s not delicious, well-balanced, and easy to drink. It also goes really well in a classic cocktail like a Manhattan or an old-fashioned.

Plus, it’s a “straight” rye, meaning it hasn’t had any added color or flavor and has been aged for at least four years. The latter is obvious because ryes under four years old are required to have an age statement, and there’s no such thing on the bottle. Speaking of the bottle: Even if the physical marketing is a bit of a gimmick, the horseshoe-shaped bottle looks cool and pays homage to Green River’s long history in the whiskey business. (If you’re a fanatic like me, many of the brand’s early 1900s offerings are selling for a living on eBay.)

If you're skeptical, it won't cost you much to try. At $35, it's even cheaper than the in-house Kirkland brand whiskey found at Costco. Here's a whiskey purchase you won't regret.

Green River Rye is an affordable alternative to hard-to-find and expensive ryes like EH Taylor.

Courtesy Image

$35 at Seelbach's

Related: The 15 Best Rye Whiskies to Spice Up Your Sazerac or Manhattan

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