1792 Straight Rye Whiskey
The Stats
- Distillery: Barton 1792 Distillery
- Location: Bardstown, Kentucky
- Type: Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
- Proof: 100 (50% ALC/VOL)
- Age: NAS
- Mash Bill: Undisclosed
- Release: July 2026 / Ongoing
- Price: $40
At $40, we couldn’t pass up 1792 Straight Rye. A familiar bourbon name stepping into rye at 100 proof was enough to spark our curiosity, and the price made it easy to justify.
Of course, getting us to buy a bottle and getting us to buy it again are two different things. Forty dollars still needs to deliver a whiskey worth reaching for after the first few pours.
The other question we had was how much rye character would show up. Would this feel familiar to people who enjoy 1792’s bourbons, or take us somewhere different? The name might make a bourbon drinker comfortable picking it up, but that doesn’t automatically make it an easy introduction to rye.
The Whiskey Behind the Bottle
1792 Straight Rye comes from Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, part of the Sazerac family. Introduced in July 2026, it is the first rye released under the 1792 label and a permanent addition to the lineup. Its suggested retail price is $40 for a 750mL bottle, matching what we paid.
It is bottled at 100 proof, carries no age statement and has an undisclosed mash bill. If you like knowing the exact grain percentages before buying, that last detail leaves a gap. We know the proof and price, but we’d welcome more transparency about the recipe and age. And while we’re asking for more information, 1792 might want to add Straight Rye to its website. We’ve already bought the bottle. The website is still catching up.
The bottle has a familiar 1792 shape, “what we refer to as “grandma’s perfume bottle,” but there’s a connection to the brand’s bourbons beyond the packaging. Barton uses the same yeast, distillation proof and barrel entry proof for this rye as it does for its bourbon. The rye grain comes from Canada, Europe and the northern United States.
Tasting Notes
Aroma
The nose brings some fruit and caramel sweetness, with dried apricot and light rye spice. Arthur also picked up minty dill and grass, giving it an herbal edge. There’s sweetness here, but those greener notes are a noticeable part of the profile.
Taste
Honey and graham cracker bring some sweetness to the palate, followed by baking spice and cinnamon. The minty dill and grass are more prominent here, sitting alongside those lighter, sweeter flavors. The mouthfeel is balanced and medium-bodied, though it’s not especially thick. Rye spice does plenty to shape the sip.
Finish
Rye spice, cinnamon and a little black pepper carry into the finish, with some toasted oak underneath. The length lands around medium, leaving us wanting those flavors to hang around a little longer.
Artfully Bourbon Rating
5 / 10 - Average
1792 Straight Rye is balanced, but it never gave us much reason to reach for another pour. Nothing has to be wrong with a whiskey for it to fall behind the bottles we’d rather drink.
There are enjoyable moments, but the overall experience doesn’t leave us wanting more. A little more staying power on the finish would help, though our reaction goes beyond that. We’re simply not excited to pour it again. It’s OK, and our AB score of 5 out of 10 reflects that.
Buy or Skip:
Skip
At $40, we were happy to give it a shot. But there are too many other great ryes we’d rather reach for. You might have to spend a little more, but we think that’s worth considering for a bottle we’d rather drink.
We also wouldn’t recommend this as a transition into rye for a bourbon drinker. Its herbal character makes it a tougher introduction than the familiar 1792 name might suggest.
As for the bottle we already own, it's a mixer. It’s headed for cocktail duty rather than a regular place in our sipping rotation.
Where Does It Rank?
Every whiskey we review is scored using the same 10-point scale, making it easy to compare bottles across styles, distilleries, and price points. Explore our complete whiskey rankings to see how every bottle stacks up.
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Care Instructions
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Machine wash cold (max 30C / 90F)
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Tumble dry low or hang dry
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Do not bleach
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Iron on low heat if needed
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Do not dry clean
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