In the case of Old Forester Rye, unique isn’t always best.
The Old Forester brand made history in 1870 when the founder, George Garvin Brown, decided to distribute his whiskey in clear, glass bottles. From then on, the Old Forester brand was synonymous with glass bottles – a trend that obviously caught on. The Old Forester continued to churn out bourbon whiskey through Prohibition and stayed solely dedicated to bourbon with offerings like Old Forester 86, Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whiskey, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style, and Old Forester 100 Proof. But nearly 150 years after George Garvin Brown bottled his bourbon, the distillery finally released a rye whiskey.
Old Forester Rye was developed using an old-school recipe found by Owsley Brown back in 1940. The recipe calls for a mash bill of 65% rye, 20% malted barley, and 15% corn. While the rye and corn percentages feel normal, the whopping 20% malted barley is the real stand-out. The excessive barley means that the whiskey can ferment all by itself, without any additional artificial enzymes. Not only that, but malted barley carries a big flavor personality, so a high barley mash bill is sure to create a unique whiskey. And in the case of Old Forester Rye Whiskey, it certainly does.
Within a rye whiskey mash bill, each grain plays a very specific role. The corn imparts deep, sweet flavors, the rye brings the spice, and the malted barley is all about floral, herbal, and earthy vibes. When balanced together, these three grains create that beautiful rye whiskey flavor. So what happens when you blast malted barley into this blend?
Old Forester Rye begins with a floral fragrance and a citrus undertone – almost as if you’re smelling lemon basil or lemongrass. The middle palate certainly brings the rye-like spices with bold cinnamon, pepper, and anise that’s rounded out with a sharp taste of pine needles. The finish brings back a bit of spice with pepper and clove, however pine and citrus remain the star players of the finish and after-taste. Separately, pine and lemon citrus are interesting flavors for a whiskey, but combined together they bring to memory one thing – lemon Pine-Sol.
Combined together with the whiskey’s sweet, syrupy texture, the malted barley flavors imparted here create more of a medicinal feeling, rather than a delicious rye. We’re intrigued by Old Forester’s experimentation and always applaud a unique perspective, but in the case of Old Forester Rye, unique isn’t exactly a great trait.
STATS: Old Forester Rye Whiskey
- Price for us: $26 for 750 mL
- Proof: 100
- Aged: NAS
- Distillery: Old Forester, owned by Brown-Forman
- Recommendation: Mixer
