Rye whiskey has made quite a comeback in the past decade: we drink almost 10 times as much rye as we did a decade ago. Aficionados enjoy the spicy, fruity notes of the whiskey, which is less sweet than its cousin bourbon.
Your options in choosing a rye seem endless. A lot of the names you know from their excellent bourbons have started producing great rye_ names like Knob Creek, Bulleit, and George Dickel.
Enter distilleries like WhistlePig who are devoted exclusively to creating the best rye whiskeys with an almost endless variety of characteristics and finishes, and high-end bourbon makers like Basil Hayden who have gotten in on the rye game. Or try the uniquely Canadian blend of maple and rye from Tap 357.
To get you started, here are a few rye recipes based on classic cocktails featuring the excellent Resurgens Rye from American Spirit Whiskey. They make Atlanta’s first rye since prohibition in Scottish-style double copper still pots, which are as impressive as the rye itself is tasty.
The Sazerac
Born in the 1830s at the Roosevelt Hotel bar, America’s oldest cocktail combined the aged whiskey that had found its way down the Mississippi River with that most savory of New Orleans’ drink inventions, Peychaud’s Bitters. We substitute the anise-flavored absinthe for our own Armour & Oak Apple Brandy.
2 parts Resurgens
1/2 part simple syrup
5 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Spritz Armour & Oak Apple Brandy
Lemon peel
Spritz glass with Armour & Oak Apple Brandy (easiest with an atomizer). Express the lemon peel into the coupe and drop in. Stir the Resurgens, simple syrup, and bitters with ice and strain into the glass.
The Renaissance Manhattan
The Manhattan dates to the 1870s, when Winston Churchill’s mother, Lady Randolph Churchill, called for something especially celebratory at New York’s Manhattan Club. Although the Manhattan now often features bourbon, the original called for rye.
Resurgens’ chocolatey character adds additional complexity.
2 parts Resurgens Rye
1 part Carpano Antica vermouth
10 drops 1821 Tart Cherry & Saffron bitters
1 orange peel
Stir Resurgens, vermouth, and bitters in an ice-filled glass or shaker for 20 seconds. Strain into a coupe or Martini glass and express a twist of orange peel into the glass.
The Old Fashioned, Reborn
Who knew a few simple ingredients could taste so good?
3 parts water
2 parts Resurgens Rye
2 parts 1821 Coffee Vanilla Cacao simple syrup
10 drops 1821 Tart Cherry Saffron bitters
1 Orange Peel
Stir all ingredients except the orange peel and serve over ice. Express the orange peel in the glass, then garnish with it. For style points, make the ice a single, large cube.
Don’t Forget the Beer
And if you’re a beer person rather than a whiskey person, we have you covered there, too. Try Athens’ Creature Comforts Reclaimed Rye, Sweetwater’s LowRYEder IPA, or Magic Hat’s Ticket To Rye. They offer the spice and fruitiness of rye whiskey, in a beer glass.
Where to Find It
Simple! Stop by Beverage Superstore at its Suwanee or Grayson location.
Beverage Superstore of Grayson
2265 Loganville Hwy
Grayson, GA 30017
Beverage Superstore of Suwanee
350 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Suwanee, GA 30024
