Templeton Rye 6 Year Rye 750ML

Templeton Rye 6 Year Rye 750ML is a six-year-aged rye whiskey bottled at 45.75% ABV (91.5 proof) in a 750ml format, built on a 95% rye and 5% malted barley mashbill. This expression earned a Gold Medal at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Double Gold at the 2020 SIP Awards, placing it among recognized aged ryes in its price tier.

Quick Facts: ABV: 45.75% (91.5 proof)  |  Origin: Templeton, Iowa / Lawrenceburg, Indiana  |  Age: 6 Years  |  Distillery: MGP Ingredients (distillation), Templeton Rye Spirits (bottling)

Production & Heritage

The liquid begins its life at MGP Ingredients in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, one of America's most prolific rye distilleries. After distillation, the whiskey is aged for a full six years in charred new American oak barrels. It is then shipped to Templeton, Iowa, where local purified water and a proprietary flavoring formula are added before bottling — a step that prevents the whiskey from carrying a "straight rye" designation under federal labeling regulations. The Templeton brand draws inspiration from the Prohibition-era whiskey once illegally produced in and around the small Iowa farming community of the same name, and the proprietary recipe is intended to echo the flavor profile of those historical spirits.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Butterscotch leads the nose, followed by a layered combination of floral sweetness and pumpernickel rye spice. Beneath that initial wave, there is a pastry-like quality — reminiscent of puff pastry or cream cheese danishes — that gives the nose a distinctly bakery-shop character.

Taste: The entry is fruity and noticeably sweet, with brown sugar and candied notes arriving early. At the mid-palate, cinnamon and apple mint season the sweetness, creating a warm, almost confectionery quality. Despite the 95% rye grain bill, this drinks milder and sweeter than many high-rye competitors, with the six years of oak lending structure without heavy tannin.

Finish: The finish carries forward with sweet cinnamon that slowly transitions into an herbaceous, almost dill-like note. It is moderate in length, tapering gently and leaving a lingering warmth on the tongue.

How to Drink Templeton 6 Year

Neat or with a single cube of ice is the most rewarding way to experience the full arc of butterscotch-to-dill that defines this expression; a few drops of water further open up the pastry-like aromatics. Its natural sweetness and moderate proof also make it a strong cocktail base. A Manhattan benefits from the brown sugar depth in place of the drier edge of younger ryes. An Old Fashioned pairs the cinnamon and butterscotch with a Demerara sugar cube without the drink becoming overly sweet. A Sazerac lets the herbaceous dill finish play off the absinthe rinse, creating an unusually harmonious pairing.

Best For

• Rye whiskey drinkers exploring what additional barrel age does to a 95% rye mashbill
• Gifting someone interested in American whiskey history and Prohibition-era lore
• Sipping neat after dinner as a dessert-adjacent pour
• Upgrading classic rye cocktails with a sweeter, more mature base spirit

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Templeton 6 Year taste like? It leads with butterscotch and brown sugar sweetness, moves through cinnamon and apple mint at mid-palate, and finishes with a distinctive dill-like herbaceousness. Overall, it drinks sweeter and milder than many 95% rye whiskeys.

How does Templeton 6 Year compare to Bulleit Rye? Both share the same 95% rye and 5% malted barley mashbill distilled at MGP in Indiana, but Bulleit Rye is bottled younger (no age statement) and at 45% ABV, resulting in a spicier, more assertive character. Templeton 6 Year's additional aging and proprietary flavoring formula make it noticeably sweeter and smoother by comparison.

Is Templeton 6 Year good for sipping neat? Yes — its moderate 91.5 proof and pronounced sweetness make it approachable for neat sipping without the bracing spice that defines many younger high-rye whiskeys.

Where is Templeton 6 Year made? The whiskey is distilled at MGP Ingredients in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, then transported to Templeton, Iowa, where local water and a proprietary flavoring formula are blended in before bottling.

What foods pair well with Templeton 6 Year? Smoked pork shoulder highlights the whiskey's brown sugar character. Apple pie or apple crisp mirrors the cinnamon and fruit notes on the palate. Sharp aged cheddar contrasts the sweetness with savory tang. Pecan pralines amplify the butterscotch and caramel. Dark rye bread with caraway seeds connects to the grain-forward dill finish.

What sizes does Templeton 6 Year come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format.

Is Templeton 6 Year worth the price? It positions as a mid-premium aged rye, sitting above entry-level offerings like the brand's own 4-year expression and competing with other six-year-aged MGP-sourced ryes. The Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Double Gold at SIP Awards in 2020 suggest solid quality for the tier.

Why Templeton 6 Year?

What distinguishes this expression is the intersection of a well-regarded 95% rye mashbill from MGP with a full six years of maturation in charred new American oak — a combination that dials back the aggressive spice typical of younger high-rye whiskeys in favor of butterscotch depth and bakery sweetness. The proprietary flavoring addition is unconventional and divisive among purists, but it contributes directly to the softer, more dessert-like profile that sets Templeton apart from other MGP-sourced ryes on the shelf. Recognition at both the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and SIP Awards in 2020 reinforces that the finished product delivers genuine quality. For drinkers who find standard young ryes too sharp and seek a sweeter, more oak-influenced pour, this six-year expression fills a specific and underserved niche in the American rye category.