Disclosures
Disclosures & Transparency
Trust matters. RyeCentral exists to help you find great rye whiskey, and that only works if you can trust what you read here. This page explains how we handle affiliate links, product samples, sponsorships, and editorial decisions — so you always know where our content stands.
We do not sell alcohol. We are not a retailer. Our only goal is to provide the most accurate and useful rye whiskey reviews on the internet. That independence is the foundation of everything on this site.
The Short Version
Affiliate Links Are Labeled
Some links on review pages may earn us a small commission if you make a purchase. These are always clearly marked and never influence scores, tasting notes, or rankings.
Samples Are Disclosed
If a bottle was provided for review rather than purchased, we say so on the review page. The review process and scoring remain identical regardless of how the bottle arrived.
No Brand Approval
Brands do not get to preview, edit, or approve our tasting notes or scores before publication. Ever. What you read is what we actually found in the glass.
Sponsorships Are Labeled
Any sponsored content is clearly identified. Sponsorship never affects review scores, community ratings, or editorial decisions about which bottles we cover.
Affiliate Links
RyeCentral participates in affiliate programs with selected retailers. When you click certain links on our review pages and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This revenue helps keep the site running and allows us to continue producing independent, in-depth rye whiskey reviews.
How to Spot an Affiliate Link
Affiliate links on RyeCentral are labeled. You will see a disclosure notice near any link that may generate a commission. If you prefer not to use affiliate links, you can always search for the product directly on your preferred retailer — we will never make that harder for you.
Samples & Provided Bottles
Most bottles reviewed on RyeCentral are purchased at retail. Occasionally, a bottle may be provided by a distillery, distributor, or shared among the review community. When this happens, the review page will include a clear note about how the bottle was sourced.
What Does Not Change
The tasting process. Every bottle goes through the same SCAN → FILTER → CONDENSE → DISTILL → PUBLISH → AUDIT → CHECK pipeline described in our Review Methodology.
The scoring. Community scores and flavor profiles are built from aggregated, verified review data — not influenced by how the bottle was obtained.
The language. If a rye runs hot, tastes thin, or has an off note, we say so. Provided bottles receive the same candid assessment as any other.
The editorial decision. Receiving a sample does not guarantee a review will be published. We only publish reviews for bottles that fit the site and meet our standards.
Editorial Independence
Every review, score, and tasting note on RyeCentral is produced independently. No brand, distillery, distributor, or advertiser has any say in our editorial output. This is non-negotiable.
What This Means in Practice
Brands cannot preview review content before publication.
Brands cannot request changes to published scores or tasting notes.
Advertising or sponsorship does not buy favorable coverage.
Our editor personally checks every review for accuracy and helpfulness. Reviews that pass receive a dated "Editorially reviewed for clarity & accuracy" stamp.
Questions About Our Disclosures?
If anything on this page is unclear, or if you spot something on the site that does not seem right, reach out. We take transparency seriously and appreciate readers who hold us accountable.
Email us anytime at support@ryecentral.com. We read every message.
For more on how our reviews are built, visit our Review Methodology page. For information about how we keep reviews current, see the Living Reviews section on that same page. To browse reviews by flavor, price, and style, visit Your Guide to Rye Whiskey Reviews.
See Our Work in Action
Every review follows the same process, every disclosure is clearly labeled.
Browse Rye Reviews Our Methodology