Old Forester Rye

If you only had $30 to spend on a whisky, what type of whisky would you buy? I was having this conversation last night with my dad as we sat out back of my parents' house sipping on Elijah Craig Rye. The answer, hands down, has to be rye. Value meets quality most highly in this category. Think about it: you have Old Overholt, both the regular version, which isn't bad, and the bonded, which is better. You have Dickel Rye, which is pretty decent, Jim Beam Rye which is also decent, Rittenhouse, which I'm not terribly in love with but which a lot of people swear by, and you have Sazerac and Old Forester Rye, clocking in respectively at 27.88 and 28.99. Again, it's difficult for me, between those last two to tell you which I liked better. I think the only other style of whisky that even comes close in the under $30 bracket is bourbon, and I don't necessarily think those bourbons stack up quite as well against these ryes. And obviously, you're not finding any scotch, other than Speyburn 10 for this price. As for the Irish, well, there are good starter whiskies under $30, but I think most seasoned whiskey drinkers reach that point where, if you have only $30 to buy something, you're not reaching for Jameson or Tully. So this is my second rye in a row that I'm giving a four-star review. The last was Alberta Premium Cask Strength. Make no mistake, Alberta CS is superior to the Old Forester but list prices is also $40 more for the Alberta, which to my mind makes it so that I have no problem giving them the same score, because they're punching at different weights. This Old Forester Rye is better than a sub-$30 whisky has any right to be. The beauty of the nose here is a thick combination of vanilla, rye spice, mint and banana foster. The palate carries the spice forward adding a rich caramel flavor to the banana with just a hint of the mint, prominent on the nose, lingering as we transition to a nice peppery finish. I recently reviewed the Old Forester 86 bourbon and called it bland. I can't get the 100 Proof bourbon in my region though I spotted it down the shore and I'm regretting not picking it up and bringing it back home because at 100 Proof, OF does it right. Now what I have to do is pick up the higher end series, you know, the ones with years I can't be bothered to look up right now? I'd like to try all of them. The 1897 and the 1920 and...which one is the 115 proof, that's the one I really want to get. Only I think Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon is next on my list of Wishlist bourbons. But here we're talking rye. We're talking Old Forester Rye and we're talking HIGH value for money. If you like rye, this is one you shouldn't sleep on. Because it disappeared for a while, I'm thinking this is one I might have to buy in bulk and keep this in stock year round.

COLOR/ Deep Honey Amber AROMA/ Vanilla, Chocolate, Slight Spice, some cleaning supply notes, Slight Fruit & slight Berries FIRST SIP/ Rich, Smooth, Good mouthfeel, Caramelly, ever so slight anise, Wood TASTE/ Rich, Buttery, Oily, Sweet, Rising dough, slight food aspects, Semi Sweet Chocolate, Nuttiness, complexity of wood, spices, search for it and you'll find Slight Banana FINISH/ Sweetness, Slight Woodiness, Slight Spice, Smoothness & Warming MT GLASS/ Tobacco Wood, Caramel, Sweetness, Toasty Marshmallow, Smokiness Age Statement: NAS Bottle D33TS: 100 PROOF Bottled Date: n/a Barreled On: n/a Barrel No. n/a Rick No. n/a 100 proof Date Reviewed: 1.12.2024 Remarks This is a remarkable bottle of rye! There is a certain richness which is intriguing and eluding at the same time. This bottle offers complex flavors, drawing you in trying to discover and find the source of the flavors from within the bottle. It's remarkable in taste, quality and flavors which take you on a enjoyable ride of the flavor profile. If you are or are not a fan of rye whiskeys this is a one stop shop for both fans and wantabe fans! Be Kind, Be Generous, Be Real, Be Responsible!!! CH33RS

New Bottle. Color is a rich amber. Nose is honey and brown sugar and spice. Entry is a bit warm, spicy, oily. A bit of herbal bitterness. Flavor is full and rih with strong notes of clove and vanilla and a bit of charred wood. Finish is more of the same. Good but this is probably not going to be my favorite rye. UPDATE: Much better with a few drops of water. It opens up and the flavors are better balanced. It still won't make the top of the list but it will make the lise as a good alternative.

Nose: caramel, vanilla, clove and brown sugar. Palate: this is a sweet and spicy rye. A little note of vanilla and caramel chases by rye spices. Goes from sweet to spicy very quickly. Lovers of a spicy rye this is for you. Finish: peppery that lingers. A note of sweet. Overall: this is a really well balanced rye. I can never find it in my area of North Carolina until now. I’m glad I bought two bottles at 27 dollars a piece. Great 100 proof affordable rye. Get yourself one.

Nose of vanilla, maple, banana, sweet oak. The palate follows with the same, along with some cinnamon and clove. Maybe a slight wintergreen mint. This is quite a bit better than you'd expect for a $22 bottle. No brainer value buy at the price. Ok t feels like a very different profile, but would be curious to compare with Turkey 101 Rye. I remember really liking it for the price, but it's been a while since I've had it.

For the price, this is a great rye. First of all, cherry is the predominant flavor i get in this. I get a lot of cherry notes when nosing this. Again, lots of cherry notes in the flavor. There is some woodiness, and there is a healthy serving of floral and spicy rye notes. I get a nice dose of vanilla as well. The finish is short and sweet with a medicinal cherry chloraseptic taste, which I personally love.