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?

[Skinsfan1311]

It's good and cheap.

What's not to love?

[PaulO]

I'm a big fan of the Old Forester Rye.  The way I'd describe it - the Old Forester house style cranked up to eleven.  (Some will get the reference.)    There's really a lot going on here.  I get flavors of dark rye bread, molasses cookie, apricot, citrus - sort of reminds me of the first couple years of Signature Bourbon.    The nose lets you know this is a big whiskey.  It's an outlier, unique, not derivative of other ryes.  

I give B-F credit for bottling this at 100 proof, and not marketing it as boutique luxury product.   

[Richnimrod]

I hafta agree with about everything said above.   OF 100-proof Rye is a fine pour!   ...AT a very 'approachable' price, too.   Good stuff.   Good Price.   

I have one open and love it in the couple cocktails I've tried with it or over a cube, or as a slow, thoughtful, neat sipper.

[Kepler]

Awesome choice for BOTM @Jazz June!

 

This thread made me crack open a new bottle from the bunker, as it's been a minute since I had one open on my bar.  That unfortunate situation has been rectified now.

 

I agree with everything written above (and great tasting notes @PaulO ... your notes captured what I taste but could not articulate myself).  

 

And I'll take things a step further.  In my opinion, this is the best "budget" American whiskey on the market.  Not just in the rye category, but including bourbons too.  Define "budget whiskey" however you want, but to me the price has to top out at 25 bucks in most markets.  My other main contender would be WT101, but in my opinion this OF100 Rye does rye even better than WT101 does bourbon.  That's saying something coming from me!  I really love this whiskey.

 

[Mattk]

I love the of100 rye. Since it's release it has been a staple on my shelves. While I agree with all the notes above I do find a distinct banana note on the nose that immediately identifies this a BF product in any blind. Between this, rittenhouse, baby saz, and wt101r it's a tough call to pick the best budget rye, but that's some tough competition.

[Skinsfan1311]

19 hours ago, Kepler said:

Awesome choice for BOTM @Jazz June!

 

This thread made me crack open a new bottle from the bunker, as it's been a minute since I had one open on my bar.  That unfortunate situation has been rectified now.

 

I agree with everything written above (and great tasting notes @PaulO ... your notes captured what I taste but could not articulate myself).  

 

And I'll take things a step further.  In my opinion, this is the best "budget" American whiskey on the market.  Not just in the rye category, but including bourbons too.  Define "budget whiskey" however you want, but to me the price has to top out at 25 bucks in most markets.  My other main contender would be WT101, but in my opinion this OF100 Rye does rye even better than WT101 does bourbon.  That's saying something coming from me!  I really love this whiskey.

 

No love for OGD BiB ?

[Kepler]

1 hour ago, Skinsfan1311 said:

No love for OGD BiB ?

I like OGD BiB, but for me it's not quite on the same level .  I know for some it is and can see why.

[Skinsfan1311]

49 minutes ago, Kepler said:

I like OGD BiB, but for me it's not quite on the same level .  I know for some it is and can see why.

I can see that. I love 'em both but, like most whiskey, it depends on how my palate is acting on any given day.  I absolutely agree that the OF100,  both the bourbon and the rye,  are outstanding and provide a lot of bang for the buck.

[Thomm]

Funny coincidence --I just came to the forums to post about enjoying some OF Rye while watching the Old Forester Bourbon Classic (sadly I have no OF bourbon on hand at this time).  The first thing I see is this thoughtful and spot-on review.  I love reading these tasting notes and trying to to suss out some of the sensory experiences you more knowledgeable folks have pointed out.  

I get black pepper in abundance, balanced with what I would describe as a soft, buttery sweetness. Mint overrides most other notes in the finish, along with an anisette, which I find to be present to one degree or another in most ryes.  

My latest crush in bourbon is OGD 114, and OF Rye, to my palate, is an almost absolute polar opposite.  And that, as Martha Stewart would say, is a good thing.