Hudson Whiskey Do The Rye Thing

It's December 23rd, and I plan to sample a new rye whiskey daily this month. While my rye expertise isn't as developed as my Scotch knowledge was last year, I'm always open to recommendations for good rye whiskeys. With these new objectives, I need assistance locating some key options. Please share your preferred, easily accessible rye. Objectives (partial): Five ryes. Averaging 4.5 stars. Readily available. (Currently have 3/5, including WT101, Whistlepig 10, Whistlepig 12) I aim to distinguish between any bourbon and any rye. This is my first attempt. One of these must be an Empire Rye. (Currently have 1/1, Hudson) I'm looking for a subpar rye. Specifically, the one that resembles a 2021 George T. Stagg.

Similar tart, unusual taste to the Bright Lights Big Bourbon, though this one has a bit more flavor. I'm unsure if it's the distillation or the barrels used, but something isn't quite right, even with the new, older age statements.

The aroma is extremely sweet, offering a black licorice scent that is... intriguing. The palate is, once again, very sweet with that same black licorice character but presents more floral notes than the aroma. A light oak flavor marks the finish.

The nose is exceptionally sweet. Cherry is prominent upfront, very sweet, with hardly any rye spice. It's a bit surprising. It's good, but not a conventional rye.

Strong rye flavor, with some vanilla and cherry. The finish is a bit young and grassy, with a moderate amount of spice that doesn't linger.

Terrible stuff. It's reminiscent of the scent from my grandfather's basement. I typically enjoy Rye, but this is undrinkable.