The World's Best Rye Whiskey, According To The SF World Spirits Competition
The rye whiskey finalists from the 2025 SFWSC
Rye Whiskey has been the fastest-growing whiskey category in the US. Between 2004 and 2024, 9-liter cases sold increased from 150,000 to 1.8 million. Below are brief backgrounds and tasting notes on the five whiskey finalists in the Rye Whiskey Category at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The SFWSC is the world's largest and most prestigious judging of American whiskey.
Rectifier Rye is a small-batch craft whiskey from Wenzel Whiskey in Covington, Kentucky. Rectification is the historical practice of redistilling a spirit to eliminate faults and off-tastes. In pre-Prohibition America, however, the term was broadly applied to non-distilling producers. The whiskey is bottled at around 95 proof and blends three Indiana rye whiskeys. The source of the whiskeys hasn't been disclosed, but it is presumably primarily drawn from MGP and is based in part on MGP's 95% rye/5% barley mash bill.
On the nose, the whiskey exhibits fresh rye bread, baking spices, vanilla bean, and dried orchard fruit aromas. The palate nicely balances sweet and spicy notes, delivering layers of cracked pepper, caramel sauce, cinnamon, and a hint of clove spice. The finish is medium to long, with lingering notes of honey, rye spices, and toasted oak. Wenzel's Rectifier Rye is a robust, spice-driven rye, offering lively flavors with a smooth, polished delivery.
The SFWSC Judging Panel described the rye whiskey as expressing 'concentrated, powerful rye bread, vanilla, dried fruit, and spice aromas. The palate features dried fruit, cooked cereal grains, rye spices, and well-seasoned oak notes. The finish is medium length and sweet with lingering rye spices and toasted oak notes.'
This rye whiskey is a celebrated release from Balcones Distilling in Waco, Texas — one of America's most innovative and terroir-driven distilleries. Made from 100% Texas-grown Elbon rye, an heirloom variety, it meets strict Bottled in Bond standards: aged at least 4 years, distilled in one season, and bottled at precisely 100 proof.
The Texas heat accelerates maturation, producing an intensely flavored whiskey with a layered complexity. The nose features powerful roasted coffee, burnt caramel, cooked cracked rye grain, toasted marshmallow, and dark cocoa aromas. The palate is robust and flavorful, featuring molasses, black pepper, dried fig, espresso, old leather, and seasoned oak. The finish is long, smoky, and earthy, with lingering bitter chocolate and spice notes.
Balcones Bottled in Bond Rye is a muscular, richly textured rye whiskey with unmistakable Texas power and flair.
The SFWSC Judging Panel described the whiskey as expressing 'aromas of apple pie, ancho chili, cracked rye bread, caramel, and vanilla notes. The palate features apple pie, baked orchard fruit, cinnamon, clove, caramel, vanilla, and a touch of cocoa. The finish is long and complex, with lingering chocolate, Tootsie Roll, baked apple, ancho chili, and a touch of char/ash.'
Rye whiskey cocktail drink, on the rocks
Ironroot Republic Distillery in Denison, Texas, is a family-run operation known for blending French cognac production techniques with bold American whiskey styles. "Sleight of Hand" is a small-batch, limited rye release bottled around 100 proof. Ironroot often uses heirloom corn and rye varieties, imparting unique character to their whiskeys.
The nose is aromatic and complex, offering cherry cola, licorice root, burnt orange peel, and earthy rye spice aromas. It is bold but balanced on the palate, with layers of dark molasses, anise/fennel, cooked spiced plum, and toasted oak. The finish is long and bold, with lingering anise, cacao nibs, and peppery flavors.
Sleight of Hand is a powerful, intense rye whiskey bursting with bold flavors reflecting Texas whiskey's power.
The SFWSC Judging Panel described the whiskey as expressing 'Sherry inspired dried fruit aromas on the nose. The palate features overripe banana, Graham Cracker, pasilla pepper, caramel, vanilla, and powerful rye spice notes. The finish is long, hot, and spicy with lingering spice, oak, and molasses notes.'
This rye whiskey is a hand-selected single barrel sourced by Southern Collective, a new label curating small-batch premium whiskey expressions. This single-barrel pick was chosen by Nashville Whiskey House and bottled at a cask strength of approximately 130 proof.
It offers a fragrant herbal bouquet on the nose, featuring spearmint, fresh dill, candied ginger, caramelized sugar, and light oak char. The palate is flavorful and spicy, with prominent notes of mint-chocolate, toasted marshmallow, cinnamon spice, and lemon peel. The finish is medium-long and spicy, with a peppery snap and lingering sweet herbal undertones.
This single-barrel rye is an energetic, flavor-packed whiskey, showing off a more intense version of the classic herbal-spice rye profile.
The SFWSC Judging Panel described the whisky as expressing 'herbal and spicy aromas on the nose. The palate exhibits a candied sweetness along with chocolate, herbal, and spicy notes of cinnamon and some clove. The finish is long, sweet, and complex with lingering pepper, spice, and herbal notes.'
This Tennessee Rye, a special release from Sugarlands Distilling Co., celebrates their decade of distilling small-batch rye whiskeys. Known for producing cask-strength, non-chill filtered whiskeys, Roaming Man 10th Anniversary is a blend of older stocks, bottled at full barrel proof.
The nose is rich and dense, featuring blackstrap molasses, dark cocoa, heavy rye spice, charred oak, and a touch of roasted coffee bean aromas. It is powerful and layered on the palate, showcasing burnt sugar, spiced cherries, chocolate-covered almonds, cinnamon bark, and charred oak flavors. The finish is long, hot, and slightly smoky, with lingering toffee, tobacco leaf, and rye spice notes.
Roaming Man's 10th Anniversary rye is a bold, celebratory whiskey, full of intensity and craft character — a homage to the distillery's adventurous spirit.
The SFWSC Judging Panel described the whiskey as featuring 'floral, sweet, and spicy aromas on the nose. It's rich and viscous on the palate, expressing burnt caramel, cherry syrup, milk chocolate, and roasted nut flavors. The finish is long, powerful, and sweet with lingering caramel, rye spice, and slightly herbal notes.'
These rye expressions from the 2025 SFWSC are some of the best rye whiskeys in America. They are all very flavorful, reflecting the incredible diversity of aroma and flavor of rye whiskey, from herbal to fruity to spicy. Virtually all of them are overproof, one a staggering 130 proof, yet they still offer the combination of smoothness and intense flavors prized in rye whiskeys. If you are a rye whiskey fan, these expressions are well worth trying and will expand your appreciation of American whiskey's enormous aroma and flavor range.
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