Wildly popular before Prohibition, rye whiskey is riding its second wave.

By Jeff DuFour, CSX Contributor

From Old Tom gin to Italian amaro, there are plenty of classic spirits being rediscovered by American drinkers. But rye whiskey is the ultimate comeback kid.

As recently as 2000, rye’s production barely registered. But by 2009, American distilleries produced 88,000 cases. And in 2014, delivery trucks were groaning with the extra weight of 560,000 cases.

Why? Well, first off, it’s got some history behind it. Rye predates even Bourbon as an American spirit, and until Prohibition, it was the dominant U.S. whiskey. So the renewed interest in classic cocktails had many a bartender seeking out rye’s authenticity.

econdly, while it shares some similarities to Bourbon (both must be aged in charred, new oak, for instance), a 51% or more rye spirit—the legal minimum—yields a bolder, spicier tipple than Bourbon. In fact, you might think of rye as bourbon’s heavily tattooed, leather jacketed older brother.

That’s most obvious in a bottle like E.H. Taylor, Jr. Straight Rye, which sees no corn at all in its mash bill; only rye and malted barley. The result is toasty sweet and slightly medicinal on the nose, with dark spices and caramel flavors. Extremely well balanced for a 100-proof whiskey, it’s the perfect base spirit for a Manhattan.

or even more rye character, look to High West Rendezvous Rye out of Park City, Utah, a blend of six-year and 16-year whiskies. “Almost every other straight rye whiskey you can buy today is barely legal, with 51-53% rye in the mash bill,” says distiller David Perkins. Not this one, with the six-year clocking in at a whopping 95% rye. You’ll pick up baking spices and vanilla in the glass, with a lingering, spicy finish.

Then there are those ryes that aren’t blended at all, coming from single barrels. Few are as exalted as the 100% rye, 13-year-old Whistle Pig “The Boss Hog” 2014. You might think of this as akin to champagne, in that it’s not necessarily released every year—only when whiskey maker Dave Pickerell finds exceptional barrels. “It might be from a special barrel, or from a great spot in the rickhouse,” he says. “But I’m not going to put ‘nice’ in a Boss Hog bottle. Only ‘wow’ and ‘stupendous.’” He bottles at cask strength (in this case 122 proof) so feel free to add some water—slowly, though, as each new drop brings out more smoke, cinnamon and vanilla.

Based in Washington, DC, Jeff Dufour has written for UrbanDaddy, Capitol File, DC magazine and the Cocktail Enthusiast, among other publications.