Cass Anderson / BroBible
Two of my favorite pours over the Summer, Wyoming Whiskey’s Outryder Whiskey and Knob Creek’s Bourbon x Rye blend, represents a shift from many savvy whiskey producers across the country. For reasons too numerous to get into hear, many of which are tied to state laws, the bourbon and rye world has always been pretty rigid with the parameters used to create the whiskey that gets bottled.
For a whiskey to be officially considered a bourbon the mash bill must include at least 51% corn with the rest coming from wheat, barley, or rye. Bourbon must be aged in charred oak barrels. It goes into the barrel at 125 proof or less. It has to be made in the United States. No additives can be included. The bourbon must be bottled at 80-proof or higher and the distillate must be 160-proof or under. Rye whiskey has similar requirements, most notably it must come from a mash bill of 51% or more rye.
Bourbon x Rye Blends
Of course, the other 49% of a mash bill offers endless possibilities. So does the age the distillate sits in the barrel and the characteristics it takes on from the oak. The origin and quality of the corn, wheat, barley, and rye all impact the finished products over their lifespan. And then after all that we end up with… a bourbon or a rye… Which is great! But it doesn’t have to be the only way…
As I mentioned above, two of my favorite pours this Summer so far have been blends of Bourbon and Rye. I’m not talking about picking up two bottles off my shelf and mixing those, though I have done that before, I’m talking about the Outryder Whiskey from Wyoming Whiskey and the Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye Blends where the whiskey makers themselves are blending two distinct mashbills to create a unique product in its own category.
Wyoming Whiskey’s Outryder Whiskey
Cass Anderson / BroBible
It might sound silly, but one of the biggest indicators that I’ve fallen for a new spirit is when I find myself going back for more. In both cases above, I went back to get second bottles because they were that good.
Wyoming Whiskey has been releasing the Outryder Whiskey for several years. Their 100-proof 2021 edition was incredibly well received by the industry. I’m admittedly late to the game on this but glad I’m playing catch up.
The 2024 Outryder Whiskey is a 100 proof American Straight Whiskey blended from two distinct mash bills, a bourbon and a rye. It has a copper-mahogany color and a nose full of honey, cherry, and orange blossom. Across the palate there are biscuits, brown butter, pumpernickel bread from the rye spice, and the finish is long and warm with notes of maple syrup.
Is it a bourbon? No. Is it a rye? No. Does it combine the two and allow the best characteristics of both to shine through? It absolutely does.
Check out Wyoming Whiskey’s website for information on where to find it.
Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye Kentucky Blended Straight Whiskey
Cass Anderson / BroBible
I’ve made no attempts to hide my love of Knob Creek over the years. Their older bourbons are absolutely divine (the 15yr!!), and their recently-released 10-year Pre-Prohibition Style Rye is incredible. So when I learned they were releasing a Bourbon x Rye blend my interest was certainly piqued.
This Knob Creek release is a blend of the Knob Creek 9 Year Old Bourbon and their 7 Year Old Rye Whiskey. Same as with Wyoming Whiskey, this blend allows both liquid streams to work in harmony so that the sum of the finished blend is greater than the individual parts.
I love me some rye spice, I really do. But I am an absolute sucker for the vanilla and honey coming off an older Knob Creek bourbon. In this blend, I get the best of both.
This blend clocks in at 113 proof and has an aroma full of maple sugar and vanilla. The baking spice from the rye is definitely present but isn’t overpowering. For anyone intrigued by ryes but not willing to go full bore just yet, this is an excellent jumping off point.
There’s black pepper and sweet caramel across the tongue followed by a finish of sweet heat. And at $44.99/bottle, this is a very affordable bourbon x rye blend that is bursting with flavor. It is a limited edition release so you will need to check out the Knob Creek website (or Google) to find it!