The expert distillers at Bulleit offer us their sweet and fruity Rye offering, adding even more rye into the mix than their traditional bourbon. Bulleit Rye has a mashbill of 95% rye and just 5% malted barley and is produced in small batches, allowing the flavour to really bloom. The nose is awash with sweet cherries and classic vanilla and on the palate you’ll enjoy an intense heat that mellows into a mesh of peaches, cherries, cinnamon and orange zest. A smoky finish is just what’s needed to show a bourbon of true class.

Crater Lake Rye is an American Whiskey distilled in Oregon. Made from a mashbill of 95% rye, this is full of toffee and peppery notes.

A Canadian offering which celebrating a visit from King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939, Crown Royal is a delicately smooth yet full-bodied offering, with oak and vanilla forming the heart of its flavour. On the nose is robust and welcoming, hints of vanilla and fruit urging you to taste. The flavour is delicate, smooth and cream-laden, with oak spice and sweet vanilla working in harmony. A gentle end note lingers.

Named for the temperance campaigner Frances Elizabeth Willard, Few Rye is an exceptional Chicago bourbon with a real kicking character. The aroma is rich with orchard fruit with a spicy after note and the palate remains fruit with more citrus input, spicy apple and the dry characteristics you expect from a high rye whisky. Balanced fruity notes make this Few offering stand out.

Rittenhouse Rye Whisky 100 proof is a hot and spicy offering which spends six years maturing before bottling. Vibrant cinnamon, black pepper and spicy rye are all prevalent in the nose and they lead into a medium body in which the higher proof is immediately apparent on the tongue. Rich notes of tobacco, cinnamon, clove and brown sugar blend together to create a highly spiced offering with just a touch of sweetness. Sip it slowly.

Sazerac Straight Rye Whisky takes its name from the New Orleans coffee house which was known as the home of the Sazerac cocktail. Without this exceptional whisky, the cocktail would be nowhere near as great. Aromas of vanilla, anise, pepper and clove are released but the flavour is subtler, with candied spice and sweet citrus taking over.

Turning Point Rye is an un aged American rye spirit from state of North Carolina. A nicely spicy and surprisingly tasty rye – it will be very interesting to see what the future holds for this Company .

In late June, Vermont-based WhistlePig came out with 12 Year Old WhistlePig Old World. This whiskey is the final result of an experiment beginning in spring 2014, during which WhistlePig finished a 12-year-old-rye whiskey distilled in Indiana in former Sauternes, Madeira and Port barrels. Each one of these were first released as limited edition, single cask type expressions, and what’s in bottle here is a marriage of those three. It’s an experiment that’s worked well for WhistlePig, as The Old World Series won the 2015 Double Gold Award for best rye at the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It comes from a mash of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, and as for the blend of the three cask types, brings them together into a harmonious three-way offering that’s 30% Sauternes, 63% Madeira and 7% Port. The colour is light, reminding me of a fine clover honey. The nose brings slight vanilla, caramel and apple cider. (I couldn’t help but exclaim, “It smells like enchantment!”) I often find rye a bit abrasive, but that’s not the case with the Old World. It’s smooth on the palate, being both easy and a little buttery. Even though Port is represented the least in this trio, I picked up some of the raisin flavuor that I get with it. To summarise, it’s extremely potable and finishes delightfully.