Old Forester 100 Proof Rye (750Ml)

Old Forester 100 Proof Rye is a Kentucky straight rye made at the Old Forester Distilling Company in Louisville. The recipe traces back to Normandy Rye, which Owsley Brown I acquired in 1940. The brand brought it back as a new rye in 2019.

The mash is 65% rye, 20% malted barley and 15% corn. That large share of malt lets the mash ferment naturally with the house yeast, with no added enzymes. Old Forester distills every drop and makes its own barrels.

The nose is darker than you might expect from a rye. Brown sugar and molasses come first, then malt, root beer and dark fruit. On the palate you get burnt sugar, blood orange and black pepper. Sweet licorice and light oak round it out. The finish is long, with pepper, citrus oil and toasted malt.

Judges like it too. It won Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2019 and Double Gold at the International Spirits Challenge that year. It also took Gold at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2019 and 2020.

At 100 proof it holds up well in a glass with ice. It also shines in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned, and it never gets lost in a cocktail. Sip it neat when you want to taste what a whiskey like this can do.