In fact, the Wilson's I was coerced to drink was not even rye at all but a blended whiskey. As for what I stole from my parents, I don't know. It was in a decanter and had no label except a generic metal tag hanging by a chain around the neck. It's fairly likely it wasn't true straight rye. Several factors contribute to the confusion about rye.
Some historical background is in order.
The original American distillers were Scots-Irish settlers who immigrated with their stills in tow. Because they weren't the first to get here, they headed west to what is now Pennsylvania and Maryland in search of land to grab. Once settled, they made whiskey. In Scotland, that was barley. In Pennsylvania and Maryland, it was rye.