Review #191 - Old Forester 100 Proof Rye
This is a rye from Old Forester with a very palatable price, which means it could be good value if that taste is good, as well. Some will use this for mixing in a cocktail, but we're also curious about how it tastes neat and with a little bit of water sprinkled in.
Brown-Forman tells us that this has a mashbill consisting of 65% rye grain, 20% malted barley, and 15% corn; we get a nice bottling strength of 50% ABV (100 proof), meaning this rye should hold up well in a whisky-forward cocktail.
Old Forester 100 Proof Rye
USA - Rye
Price Paid: USD 23 (2023)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 23 (2023)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 50% ABV
Details: Mashbill of 65% rye, 20% barley, and 15% corn
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 2 months; bottles at 100%, 90%, and 80% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Rich brown sugar and candies - quite a sweet nose for a rye. There are soft herbal spice notes, mint and peppermint, and some sweeter flavors of caramel and buttered rum. Later on, that peppermint turns into candy canes.
Palate: Medium mouthfeel, and along with the sweet candy notes, there's some peppery spice up front - black pepper and white pepper. A bit of oak and wood char come in, and caramel and clove add a baking element; with time, more menthol and sweet herbal notes arrive, before glazed strawberry at the end.
Finish: Medium length with lots of brown sugar and pepper spice. The rye influence is kept in check, with decent sweetness coming from vanilla and peppermint candies; it has a bit of wood spice, too.
Final Note: This is an excellent value bottle - one of the best values that we've rated so far. It's pleasant to drink neat, though somewhat simple, and it definitely will elevate a cocktail with its strength, although it is relatively sweet for a rye - not the typical young rye profile.
Our Average Rating: 6.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 8.44
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