The 25 Best Rye Whiskeys of 2025, Ranked

Welcome to our top 25 list of the best rye whiskeys of 2025.

How the rankings work: These rankings are sorted by The Daily Pour’s Critics’ Score, a number calculated for each bottle by aggregating reviews from trusted critics across the internet and (when necessary) converting them to the 50-100 scale we use.

Taste is subjective, but by using this metric and aggregating multiple reviews, we aim to get as close as possible to objectivity. When ties in the Critics’ Score occur, they’re broken by our in-house score. If there’s still a tie, the whiskey with the most aggregated reviews gets the nod. In the rare case that there’s still a tie, we simply break it by using alphabetical order.

Eligible bottles are bourbons that 1) Were released in 2025 or the latter half of 2024, so long as they weren’t considered for our 2024 rankings (so we can give love to bottles released late in 2024 that we didn’t have the chance to taste until 2025), and 2) We had the chance to taste. If you’re shocked that your favorite bottle isn’t on this list, it may have been excluded because we regrettably didn’t have a chance to review it (looking at you, BTAC). Price is not considered in our personal rating system (which is factored equally into the aggregate scores), but some critics we aggregate may factor that in to their scores.

If you’re interested in learning more about any bourbon on the list, just click the link embedded in its name. If you want to see our 100 Best Whiskeys of 2025 list, check that out here.

Without further ado, let’s get into the best rye whiskeys of 2025!

25. Hudson Rye Calvados Cask 7 Year Old

A dark, spicy whiskey. The calvados doesn’t overwhelm the rye at all.

24. Minden Mill Nevada Straight Rye

A tasty rye from an up-and-coming Estate Distillery in Nevada.

23. Stellum Spirits Romulus Rye Whiskey

This “Star Trek”-themed whiskey is straightforward but very good rye.

22. Old Forester 117 Series: Bottled in Bond Rye

The first Bottled-in-Bond rye whiskey ever released by Old Forester.

21. Still Austin 2025 Bottled in Bond Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 4 Years

A stellar rye from one of America’s best craft distilleries. Still’s Bottled in Bond series gets better each year, and the rye is no exception.

20. Laws Whiskey House San Luis Valley Bonded Straight Rye 7 Year Old

Distilled from a mashbill of 100% heirloom rye and aged at least seven years, this rye displays excellent balance.

19. 15 STARS Founders Reserve Fine Aged Rye

A blend of rye whiskeys from Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee, aged eight, nine, 13 and 14 years.

18. Blue Note Honey Rye Cask

A delicious cask-finished rye. The honey imparts lovely sweet flavors without drowning out the rye spice.

17. Woodinville Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 8 Years

Stunningly dark in color and very memorable in flavor.

16. Lost Lantern Opulent Orchard New York Distilling Co. Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Apple Brandy Casks 7 Years Old

Sweet apple brandy works in beautiful harmony with spicy rye.

15. Bruichladdich The Laddie Rye 7 Year Old

A scotch brand releasing a U.S.-exclusive rye whiskey was not on our bingo board for 2025, but we were pleased with the result.

14. Old Forester President’s Choice Rye Whiskey

Old Forester’s President’s Choice Bourbon was accompanied by a rye for the first time in 2025.

13. Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel: Chinquapin Oak Rye

Heaven Hill’s second Grain to Glass trio of releases had a twist in 2025: Chinquapin oak maturation.

12. Lost Lantern 2025 Single Cask Series #9: Corbin Cash 7 Year Old Rye

Independent bottler Lost Lantern selected this mouthwatering cask of Corbin Cash rye whiskey. If you love bold, brash rye whiskey, this is a must.

11. Calumet Farm High Rye Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

A rock-solid Kentucky rye distilled from 91% rye and 9% malted barley.

10. Pinhook Vertical Series 9 Year Rye

For its Vertical Series, Pinhook acquired a large number of barrels from MGP and has been releasing a portion of them each year. Everything about each release is the same, except that the barrels are one year older each annual release, making this series a fun experiment that allows consumers to taste the difference that maturation has on whiskey with each release.

9. Sagamore Cask Strength Rye Whiskey

(Photo: Sagamore Spirit)

One of America’s best rye whiskey producers put out a banging cask-strength expression in 2025, aged at least seven years and blended from Sagamore’s Maryland-distilled high- and low-rye rye whiskey mashbills.

8. Old Overholt Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 12 Years

This 12-year-old rye from Beam bottled at cask strength is deep, rich and delicious.

7. Sagamore 10 Year Old Rye

(Photo: Sagamore Spirit)

The oldest age-stated whiskey released to date from the Baltimore distillery, this 10-year-old rye is nuanced and perfectly balanced.

6. Michter’s 10 Year Old Single Barrel Rye

A beloved 10-year rye that benefits from grain spice mingling with soft sweet notes imparted by Michter’s’ signature toasted barrels.

5. Sazerac Rye Whiskey Full Proof

(Photo: Sazerac)

A new release from Sazerac that, at $39.99, is perhaps the best bang-for-your-buck rye whiskey on the market.

4. Michter’s US*1 Barrel Strength Rye

Few if any distilleries can rival Michter’s when it comes to delicious rye whiskey that appeals just as much to bourbon fans as rye lovers.

3. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Special Release Tanyard Hill Rye Whiskey

(Photo: David Morrow/The Daily Pour)

Unquestionably one of the best rye whiskeys of the year, with a wide range in proofs; some bottles reach all the way up to 145.9.

2. Sagamore 9 Year Old Rye

This 9-year-old release from Sagamore is truly near-perfect rye.

1. WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame

(Photo: WhistlePig Whiskey)

The best rye whiskey of 2025 is the Boss Hog in quite some time — perhaps ever. Feather & Flame is a straight rye whiskey finished in pulque- and xocolatl-inspired barrels seasoned with pulque curado, which WhistlePig made from agave, cacao and a blend of Mexican chiltepín, guajillo and pasilla peppers. The result is spicy in terms of the usual rye way but also in the pepper-hot sense. It’s a sweet, rich, nuanced and wildly satisfying sip.