Old Forester 100 Proof Kentucky Rye Whisky - 750ml

Old Forester 100 Proof Rye is produced at the Old Forester Distilling Co. in Louisville, Kentucky — the brand's first rye whisky in its 150-year history and the first new mashbill introduced by Old Forester since George Garvin Brown sealed his first bottle of bourbon in 1870. The recipe is rooted in history rather than invented from scratch: it draws from the Normandy Rye, a brand and formula acquired by Owsley Brown I in 1940 when Brown-Forman purchased the Old Kentucky Distillery. That historic recipe is distinguished by an unusually high proportion of malted barley — 20% in a mashbill of 65% rye and 15% corn — a figure that sits well above the 4 to 12% malted barley typically found in American rye production. This elevated barley content serves a dual purpose: it enables a fully natural fermentation process driven by Old Forester's proprietary yeast strain without the need for added enzymes, and it contributes a distinct floral character that moderates and balances the sharp, assertive spice the rye grain produces.

The whisky is distilled entirely in Louisville, aged in new charred American white oak barrels under the supervision of Master Distiller Chris Morris, and bottled at 100 proof — a proof point the brand selected to give the rye enough weight to stand confidently on its own while remaining well-suited to cocktail use. The production is fully vertically integrated: Old Forester distills every drop, produces every barrel, and bottles the finished spirit within the same Louisville operation. The rye is bottled as a Kentucky Straight Rye, carrying no age statement but reflecting the house's commitment to consistent quality and single-source production.

The nose is notably floral for the category — an unusual opening of honeysuckle and brown sugar alongside the more expected black pepper, clove, and citrus zest, with a light whisper of toasted oak underneath. The palate opens with cinnamon and rye spice before moving through burnt sugar, blood orange, sweet licorice, and a hint of black pepper that builds through the mid-palate. The finish is long and lingering, closing on peppercorn, citrus oils, and toasted malt — the malted barley's contribution asserting itself at the close in a way that distinguishes this rye from higher-corn or lower-malt expressions in the category.