Updated May 2026.
“Cheap rye” is a shelf tag, not a TTB class. US rye whisky is at least 51% rye, distilled and entered like other American whisky, bottled at ≥80 proof. Heaven Hill’s Rittenhouse page prints Bottled-in-Bond, 100 proof, and 4 years — a 1.5-ounce pour is 1.25 NIAAA drinks. An 80-proof rye is one drink. This is not a 2023 ranking and not a 2026 MSRP list.
Bonded is the 100-proof legal class. “Value” is the sticker that day. Related: rye under $50, Sazerac Rye, bottled-in-bond.
Proof is the ranking tool
| Reading tool | What it changes | 1.5 oz drinks |
|---|---|---|
| 80-proof rye | TTB floor | 1.00 |
| Rittenhouse BiB | 100 proof; ≥4 years; one season | 1.25 |
| Sazerac Rye (core) | 90 proof on prior BT page | 1.13 |
| Straight rye | ≥2 years; no added flavoring | Use labeled proof |
A 750 mL 50% bottle is about 21 drinks. Four 100-proof pours are five drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. No invented street prices. Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- Heaven Hill Rittenhouse: 100 Proof; Age 4 Years Old; Bottled-in-Bond. heavenhilldistillery.com/rittenhouse-rye.php.
- TTB 27 CFR 5.143 (rye); 5.88 (bonded). Sazerac 90 from prior brand page.
- NIAAA December 2025. Old Overholt exact current proof: read the neck.
- (27 CFR 5.88)