Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey is rumored to be made from a mash of 51% rye, 39% corn and 10% malted barley. Following distillation, the whiskey is aged for a minimum of six years in the Kentucky heat, before a small batch of barrels are married together. The whiskey has a copper-bronze color, along with an aroma of rye, malt, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. The aroma gives way to notes of chewy caramel, vanilla, spicy rye and candied citrus on the palate, and ends with a touch of dried fruits and rye. Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey earned a score of 94.5 points from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible, and a score of 95 points from Wine Enthusiast, which called it a "Best Buy." In addition, it earned the Best American Rye Whiskey Award at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, and the Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Michter's US*1 Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey is made from a mash comprised primarily of fresh, plump rye grains. Once the grains are harvested, they are sheared so that during fermentation, the grains are saturated with more flavor. After the grains have been fermented, they are distilled through a copper-pot still before being matured in charred, American oak barrels. The barrels are allowed to rest in a heat-cycled warehouse, which forces the wood to expand and contract as the temperature rises and falls. This heat cycling causes the whiskey and wood to mingle with each other, and contributes notes of marmalade and light caramel to the rye. Once Willie Pratt — Michter's Master Distiller — determines that the rye has reached its peak flavor, each bottle is filled and sealed by hand.