This Midwest Rye Is Quietly One of the Best Whiskeys You Can Buy for Under $50

J. Rieger & Co. is a Kansas City institution — the original distillery was founded in 1887 by Austro-Hungarian immigrant Jacob Rieger before Prohibition, and his family operated it until 1919, when it became one of many American distilleries to be wiped out by Prohibition.

The brand was revived in 2014 by renowned bartender Ryan Maybee and Andy Rieger, the great-great grandson of the original founder. Rieger’s claim to fame is its “Kansas City whiskey,” which is extremely unusual due to the fact that it includes a bit of sherry in the blend.

Under-discussed among the Rieger portfolio and on a national level, however, is the brand’s straight rye whiskey, which is one of the more quietly impressive sub-$50 bottles in the category.  At $40.99, it competes with whiskeys priced well beyond it.

What Makes It Different

Rieger uses sweet mash fermentation — each batch started from scratch, rather than the sour mash method common to most American whiskey production, which reuses a portion of the previous fermented batch. It’s a more labor-intensive approach, and it contributes a richness to the finished whiskey that shows clearly in the glass. Another of America’s most underrated rye whiskey producers — Indiana’s Hard Truth — uses the sweet mash technique.

After fermentation, the whiskey is distilled in both pot and column stills. The result is then aged a minimum of four years in 53-gallon American oak barrels in Rieger’s Kansas City rickhouse, which sits right next to active railroad tracks. Whether the vibration does anything measurable to the aging whiskey barrels is debatable, but Rieger believes it has an impact.

The mashbill is 96% rye and 4% malted barley, bottled at 90 proof without chill filtration. It’s distributed in more than 20 states.

Our Tasting Notes:

The nose is lovely — pepper, clove, cardamom, ginger and cream cheese frosting. The palate is silky and flavorful: candied ginger, clove, sassafras and cardamom accented by caramel and white cake frosting. The finish opens big and spicy with powdered ginger and more clove before transitioning into leather, a touch of yuzu, and butterscotch.

For the complete tasting notes and score, click here for the full review.

The bottom line: This is a rye whiskey packed with flavor that superbly balances sweetness and spice. It drinks great neat and would be a strong base for a Manhattan, Old Fashioned or just about any whiskey cocktail you’re building. At $40.99, the value is phenomenal for a whiskey this balanced and tasty.

If you haven’t tried it, fix that.