Men's Lifestyle February 25, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Secret Power of Rye Whiskey Cocktails Experts Swear By to Elevate Your Evenings and Boost Your Vibe!

Ever sipped on rye whiskey and wondered if there’s more to this fiery spirit than meets the eye? You’re not alone—I used to think rye was just some roughneck cowboy’s go-to, something you’d find on the dusty shelves of backwater bars. Turns out, rye whiskey isn’t just a tough guy’s drink; it’s actually America’s original spirit, with a history as rich and layered as the cocktails it stars in. From George Washington’s sprawling distillery empire to its near disappearance by the late 20th century, rye has had quite the rollercoaster journey. But thanks to the craft cocktail renaissance, rye whiskey has roared back, showing off its spicy, bold character in classic concoctions and innovative mixes alike. Curious to spice up your drink repertoire and taste some authentic American heritage in a glass? Let’s dive into the world of rye cocktails that are shaking (and stirring) up the scene today. LEARN MORE

7 min read

Twenty years ago, most people, myself included, didn’t think about rye whiskey very much. I remember catching an old western on TV one night, in which a cowboy bellied up to the bar, ordered a shot—“Rye whiskey, neat”—and then told the bartender to leave the bottle. Pretty hardcore. I assumed he must have been drinking some kind of primitive rotgut (and he probably was). But little did I know at the time that rye has a special place in American history.

“Contrary to popular belief, rye was actually America’s native spirit,” says Noah Rothbaum, author of the recently published The Whiskey Bible: A Complete Guide to the World’s Greatest Spirit. George Washington owned the largest rye distillery in the country after he left the White House. Historically, it was a very important cocktail ingredient. “But by the end of the 20th century, rye had practically disappeared from stores and bars,” Rothbaum says.

Of course, no one flips through TV channels anymore, and the whiskey world has gone through its own evolution. “Thankfully, over the last 20 years craft cocktail bartenders have helped lead the effort to get distillers to make more of the flavorful spirit,” says Rothbaum. Though it’s perhaps not as beloved as bourbon, rye can now be found in every liquor store and at every bar.

Often described as bourbon’s spicier sister, rye has notes of baking spice, black pepper, and fruit. That’s because in America rye whiskey must be made from a mash bill that contains a minimum 51 percent rye grain, as opposed to bourbon, which must be made from at least 51 percent corn. Some ryes are made from recipes of 95 or even 100 percent rye, while others contain somewhere just above the minimum requirement, so there’s a style for every palate.

The best known rye cocktails are probably the Manhattan and the Sazerac, two simple yet complex classics that have been around for well over a century. But there are so many other ways to incorporate this classic spirit into a drink. I asked some expert bartenders and mixologists what their favorite rye whiskey cocktails are, so check out this list and try your hand at making some to enjoy at home.

Hudson River Crossing

cocktail on a bar counter with restaurant seating in the background

Coti Palombarini

John Dillon, bar manager at Bar Tizio in New York City, came across a recipe for a drink called the Detroit River Crossing while looking through Jazz Age Cocktails by Cecelia Tichi. “Being in the West Village only a few steps from the Hudson, we created a riff of this with Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao and a dry American rye whiskey,” he said. “The result is a stylish, golden, whiskey-forward cocktail that’s perfect before or after dinner.”

Ingredients

2 oz Redemption Rye
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
2 dashes orange bitters

Directions

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir for about 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with an orange twist.

Bitter Melon Sazerac

a glass of amber liquid on a marble table

Rougarou

The Sazerac is a classic rye whiskey cocktail that originated in New Orleans that is made from just four ingredients: rye, simple syrup, and Peychaud’s Bitters. Mix them together and served in an absinthe-rinsed glass. McLain Hedges, co-owner of Rougarou in Denver, created a riff on this old standby that is still spirit-forward but has bitter and spice notes. “The combination of rye, cognac, a touch of wine with the Macvin … and the melon aperitif [gives you] beautiful, high-tone, slightly exotic notes. It lights up while remaining true to the classic,” says Hedges.

Ingredients

2 oz Elijah Craig Straight Rye
1/2 oz cognac
1/2 oz Macvin du Jura
1/4 oz simple syrup
1/4 oz melon aperitif
8 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
2 dashes absinthe

Directions

Add all ingredients together in a mixing glass over ice, and stir until cold. Strain into a frozen glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Pepita

cocktail with a large ice cube and a decorative garnish

Eric Medsker

Harrison Ginsberg, bar director at Overstory in New York City, came up with this cocktail built around pumpkin seed-infused rye whiskey and a green tea Campari mixture, kind of like an elevated version of a Boulevardier. The infusions might be a bit complicated and require some pre-planning, but you can pull this off at home if you are motivated—or just stop in at the bar to try it if not.

Ingredients

2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
1 teaspoon Alma Tepec Pasilla Liqueur
1 teaspoon Cynar
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz palo cortado sherry
1/2 oz Hojicha-infused Campari
1 1/2 oz pumpkin seed Michter’s Rye

Directions

To make the Hojicha Campari: Combine 15 grams of Hojicha Japanese green tea with one liter of Campari. Cold steep overnight, strain through a coffee filter, and bottle.

To make the pumpkin seed-infused rye: Combine 100 grams pumpkin seed oil, 30 grams pumpkin seeds, 10 grams cocoa butter, and 1000 ml Michter’s Rye in a vacuum seal bag. Sous vide for 30 minutes at 58 degrees Celsius. Mix to dissolve all cacao butter. Plunge into an ice bath and allow cacao butter to harden completely. Freeze 24 hours, double fine strain, and bottle.

Stir ingredients together in mixing glass over ice, pour into rocks glass.

Baller’s Club

a cocktail garnished with colorful fruits on a table

Dan Ahn

Omar Bautista, beverage manager at Boro Brine in Brooklyn, created this version of the New Orleans cocktail De La Louisiane to complement the restaurant’s seafood-focused menu. It incorporates fat-washed rye whiskey into the mix to give it a buttery mouthfeel and some extra flavor, and Bautista uses a unique vermouth blend consisting of Vermouth di Torino, Antica Carpano, and Lo-Fi Sweet Vermouth.

Ingredients

1 3/4 oz cocoa butter fat-washed Sazerac Rye
3/4 oz sweet vermouth blend
1/2 oz Benedictine
4 long dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
2 long dashes mole bitters

Directions

Stir until perfectly diluted (give it about 20 slow revolutions). Spritz a Nick and Nora glass with an absinthe coat before serving.

House Rule #5

a cocktail served in a glass with ice and an orange slice

The Noortwyck

This drink, which is available at The Noortwyck in New York City, contrasts the spice of the rye whiskey base with bitter notes of Italian amaro and bright citrus. This makes it a very versatile cocktail, suitable for summer sipping or as a winter warmer.

Ingredients

1/2 oz spiced honey
1 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz Contratto
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1 1/2 oz rye whiskey

Directions

Combine ingredients in a shaker. Shake and stain over fresh ice and pour into a double rocks glass. Garnish with half an orange slice, served in a half moon on top of ice.

Trinidad Sour

a cocktail garnished with mint and raspberries served in a textured glass

Sloane’s

Interested in trying a Caribbean twist on a rye whiskey cocktail? Look no further than the Trinidad Sour, available at Sloane’s in New York City’s Soho neighborhood. This bright cocktail is a version of a classic sour, with lemon juice providing a citrus burst and orgeat giving some heft and mouthfeel to the drink. And the use of a 100-proof rye whiskey ensures that it’s not lost in the mix.

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz Amaro di Angostura
1/4 oz orgeat
3/4 oz lemon juice
1 dash orange bitters
2 dashes saline

Directions

Combine ingredients in a shaker, shake vigorously, and pour over ice. Garnish with four fresh raspberries.

The Fletcher

a whiskey cocktail in a glass with a cherry garnish

Robiee Ziegler

According to Floyd Lewis, bartender at Jones in Hollywood, this cocktail is a riff on a Manhattan that is named after Jack Daniel’s master distiller Chris Fletcher. “I mean, the guy who oversees production of the biggest whiskey in the U.S. deserves a cocktail,” he said. “[It] was created by a guy named ET who worked behind the bar here at Jones for years. We make a lot of them for people who love Manhattans but are looking for a little twist.”

Ingredients

2 oz Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye
1 oz Carpano Antica Vermouth
4 drops chicory bitters
Giffard Banana Liqueur

Directions

Stir all ingredients over ice. Mist a glass with the banana liqueur. Strain the cocktail into the glass over one large cube (can also be served up). Garnish with a Dirty Sue Whiskey Cherry.

The Commodore

cocktail with garnish beside a restaurant menu

Palladino’s Steak & Seafood

Eduardo Matos, assistant general manager at Palladino’s Steak & Seafood inside Grand Central Station in NYC, created this drink. He was inspired by a railroad magnate from the late 19th century known as “The Commodore,” who was said to be “strong, disciplined, and elegant, while being subtly indulgent”—just like this drink, which is built around Sazerac Rye.

Ingredients

1 3/4 oz Sazerac Rye
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
3/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino
Angostura bitters
Bisho bitters

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Add Angostura and Bisho bitters and stir until properly chilled and diluted. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with Luxardo maraschino cherry and expressed orange peel.

Root and Rye

Eric Medsker

This rye whiskey cocktail is another sour variation, created by bartender James Potchoiba of Death & Co. in New York City, that incorporates unlikely flavors of carrot and dill. “Using the wrong rye completely mutes the flavor of the whiskey,” he said, which is why he chose Rittenhouse, a popular and inexpensive 100-proof rye produced by the Heaven Hill Distillery in Kentucky.

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1/2 oz Gamle Dill Aquavit
1 tsp Trader Vic Macadamia Nut liqueur
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz carrot syrup
1/2 oz fake egg/egg white

Directions

Combine ingredients and dry shake them. Strain into a double old fashioned glass over ice.

Burning Bushel

a smoky cocktail garnished with dried apple and cinnamon surrounded by leaves

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill

“Our Burning Bushel cocktail works because, while it is pretty boozy from the Sazerac Rye backbone, it balances perfectly with the spicy sweetness of the Fireball Blazin’ Apple and stone fruit syrup,” said Lisa Kozloff, VP of beverage and special projects of Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. “A touch of bitters finishes it off and brings the drink together.”l

Ingredients

1/2 oz Fireball Blazin’ Apple
1/4 oz Monin Stone Fruit Syrup
2 oz Sazerac Rye
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Directions

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass—pour 1/2 oz of Fireball into the jigger first, then top with Stone Fruit syrup to reach the 3/4 oz line. Add ice and stir 25 times. Strain into a highball glass filled with a large ice cube. Garnish with a torched cinnamon stick and dehydrated apple.