Sazerac Rye

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A straight rye named after New Orleans' Sazerac cocktail. Clove, anise and pepper spice with vanilla and citrus sweetness, made at Buffalo Trace.

Details

Brand	Sazerac
Distillery	Buffalo Trace
Origin	USA / Kentucky
Style	RyeAmerican rye whiskey is made from a mash of at least 51% rye and aged in new charred oak containers. It tends to be spicier and drier than bourbon.
Age	NAS
ABV	45%
Cask	—

Flavour profile

Smoky
Sweet
Fruity
Spicy
Rich

* Editorial estimate.

Tasting notes

Nose: Clove, vanilla, anise and pepper — spicy and lively.
Palate: Smooth, with candied spice and citrus notes.
Finish: Big, smooth and long, with hints of liquorice.

* Editorial tasting notes.

How to enjoy it

Cocktails
On the rocks
Neat

It shines in the cocktail that gave it its name, the Sazerac, and in spirit-forward drinks like the Manhattan or Old Fashioned. Neat or on the rocks, the rye spice comes through clearly.

Food pairing

Pastrami sandwiches, sausages or jambalaya — dishes with a bit of spice.

Background & production

A straight rye whiskey made at Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, owned by the Sazerac Company.

Its name comes from New Orleans' Sazerac cocktail. In the 1800s, the Sazerac Coffee House on Royal Street served a drink made with rye whiskey and Peychaud's Bitters, which became known as the Sazerac — regarded as America's first branded cocktail.

It is bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof) and scored 94.5 points in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.