Masterson's 10 Year Old Straight Rye 750ML

Masterson's 10 Year Old Straight Rye 750ML is a 100% rye grain whisky aged ten years in new charred American oak, bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof). It earned 96 points and Canadian Whisky of the Year in the 2015 Jim Murray Whisky Bible, and Whisky Advocate awarded it 94 points, naming it the #1 whiskey in its Spring 2013 issue.

Quick Facts: ABV: 45% (90 Proof)  |  Origin: Calgary, Alberta, Canada  |  10 Year Age Statement  |  Distillery: Alberta Distillers  |  Bottler: 35 Maple Street Distillery, Sonoma County, CA

Production & Heritage

Alberta Distillers, located in Calgary, is one of the world's premier sources of rye whisky, and Masterson's draws exclusively from their stocks. The whisky is distilled from a 100% rye grain mashbill in copper pot stills, then matured for a full decade in new charred American oak barrels — a requirement for the "straight" designation under U.S. regulations. Once casks are selected, 35 Maple Street Distillery in Sonoma County, California bottles the whisky without additional cask finishing or blending, allowing the pure expression of Alberta rye grain and a decade of oak interaction to speak for itself.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with aromatic granola clusters and creamed cherry before giving way to rich caramel, maple, and butterscotch. Deeper exploration reveals rain-moistened earth, gunnysacks, and a searing thread of white pepper.

Taste: The palate enters with warm grains and fresh oatmeal cookies, moving through a lightly grassy mid-palate layered with classic rye spice and extra white pepper. A flash of maple-almond sweetness gives way to delicately bitter notes of fresh-baked rye bread, vintage car leather, and kiln-dried burley tobacco, with touches of dry herbs and spearmint running throughout.

Finish: The finish is fresh and moderately long, carrying mildly tannic leather and charry oak alongside cocoa and mouthwatering spice. A drying rye-grain bitterness lingers, balanced by residual warmth from the 90-proof bottling strength.

How to Drink Masterson's Rye

Neat or with a few drops of water is the ideal serve — water tames the alcohol heat and opens up a maple-almond flavor profile with a cocoa-laced spice finish. The 100% rye backbone also makes this a formidable cocktail base. A Manhattan benefits enormously from the caramel and leather depth, which stands up to sweet vermouth without fading. A Sazerac lets the white pepper and rye bread character amplify beautifully against absinthe and Peychaud's bitters. A classic Vieux Carré puts the tobacco and spearmint nuances in conversation with Bénédictine and Cognac for a layered, complex result.

Best For

• Gifting a whisky collector who values critically acclaimed Canadian rye
• Side-by-side tastings comparing 100% rye mashbill expressions
• Mixing elevated rye cocktails where grain character must lead
• After-dinner sipping alongside dark chocolate or aged cheese

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Masterson's Rye taste like? Masterson's 10 Year delivers warm grain, oatmeal cookies, and classic rye spice layered over caramel, leather, and white pepper. The finish carries charry oak, cocoa, and a lingering mouthwatering spiciness.

How does Masterson's Rye compare to WhistlePig 10 Year? Both are Canadian-distilled, 10-year-old rye whiskies bottled in the United States, but WhistlePig is bottled at a higher 50% ABV and often incorporates additional cask finishing. Masterson's takes a purist approach — selecting casks from Alberta Distillers and bottling them without further finishing, resulting in a more grain-forward, less oak-heavy profile at 45% ABV.

Is Masterson's Rye good for sipping neat? Absolutely — the 45% ABV strikes a balance between flavor intensity and approachability, and a few drops of water unlock additional maple-almond and cocoa notes that reward patient sipping.

Where is Masterson's Rye made? The whisky is distilled at Alberta Distillers in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, one of the world's most respected rye whisky distilleries. It is then selected and bottled by 35 Maple Street Distillery in Sonoma County, California.

What foods pair well with Masterson's Rye? Smoked brisket highlights the leather and pepper notes. Dark chocolate truffles complement the cocoa and caramel on the finish. Aged Gruyère mirrors the grain-forward richness. Pecan pie echoes the maple and butterscotch sweetness. Charcuterie with cornichons plays off the herbal, spicy rye character.

What sizes does Masterson's Rye come in? The standard and most widely available format is the 750ml bottle.

Is Masterson's Rye worth the price? Masterson's positions as a premium 10-year-old rye with a 100% rye mashbill, pot-still distillation, and strong critical acclaim including 96 points from Jim Murray and 94 from Whisky Advocate — credentials that place it competitively among top-tier aged rye whiskies.

Why Masterson's Rye?

What separates Masterson's from the crowded field of aged rye is its uncompromising simplicity: 100% rye grain, copper pot stills, a full decade in new charred American oak, and no additional finishing or blending. That purity earned it the highest honors in two of the whisky world's most respected publications — 96 points and Canadian Whisky of the Year from Jim Murray, and a 94-point, #1 ranking from Whisky Advocate. The combination of Alberta Distillers' world-class rye distillation with straightforward cask selection produces a whisky that is simultaneously complex and transparent, showing exactly what ten years of patient aging can achieve with a single grain. For drinkers who want to understand rye whisky at its most essential, this expression is a benchmark.