BOTM 05/2025 Old Forester Rye

[Jazz June]

It’s Kentucky Derby time!  Woodford Reserve is the “official” bourbon of the Derby, but its fellow Brown-Forman brand Old Forester is a secondary sponsor of the race. To shake things up for this month’s BotM, I’d like to discuss a rye – Old Forester rye!

 

The Basics

 

Distillery: Old Forester

Brand Owner: Brown-Forman

Mash Bill: 65% rye, 20% malted barley, 15% corn

Proof: 100

Age: NAS (at least four years old)

MSRP: $28

Expression introduced: 2019

Last time as BotM: First time

 

Distillery Tasting Notes

 

Aroma/Nose: Rich brown sugar and magnolia blossom, with hints of soft sassafras and candied lemon.

 

Taste/Palate: Spice awakens immediately leading with sharp black pepper and cinnamon stick, rounding out with notes of dried dill and baked apple.

 

Finish: Allspice and peppercorn introduce a loyal and dry finish which ignites with pine, anise, and bright lemon zest.

 

My Thoughts

 

Old Forester is one of American whiskey’s most historic brands, with it being the only bourbon continuously sold before, during, and after Prohibition. For all of that time, Old Forester was made from a single bourbon mash bill, so it was fairly significant when Brown-Forman decided to try a new mash bill and bring the brand into the rye whiskey space. “Crafted” by Chris Miller and Jackie Zykan and first released in 2019, the Old Forester rye mash bill was “inspired” by the recipe for Normandy rye, a brand that Owsley Brown acquired in 1940.

 

It has been a while since I last tasted this one, but my impressions were that this is a versatile and good value rye whiskey. The flavor, for me, was somewhere between a typical Kentucky “barely legal” style rye and an MGP 95/5 rye. The higher rye content gives me mint and dill notes, but not nearly as strongly as in some MGP ryes. I also get some of those nice citrus notes, along with some rye spice. The smaller proportion of corn does lend some sweetness, creating a really nicely balanced whiskey. The proof and price points make it perfect for cocktails, but this is definitely a rye I could drink neat and be perfectly happy.

 

Old Forester rye is also released in a single barrel, barrel proof expression, looking similar to its barrel proof bourbon pick equivalent, albeit with a green label instead of blue. Old Forester recently released a bottled in bond rye in its Old Forester 117 Series, with the whiskey clocking in at 9 years old. On the horizon are President’s Choice rye single barrels, which at least initially will be in a similar age range to that 117 Series release. I have tasted barrel proof Old Forester rye with some good age on it and it is incredible. I’m looking forward to Brown-Forman really showing what it can do with its Old Forester rye, as the whiskey is great, but the price points and availability may be issues as they still are for a lot of special releases.

 

Every time we pick at Old Forester, my group loves to harangue our friends at Brown-Forman about getting to do a rye barrel pick, but so far, no luck. I’m very hopeful that one day we will succeed, as Old Forester makes some great rye!

 

So, Straight Bourbon, what do you have to say about Old Forester rye?