Old Forester Rye

Did a side-by-side with Bulleit Rye. I like the higher proof and classic OF complexity. Both great value ryes, but this one is nice enough neat that I'd almost feel bad making a cocktail with it.

If you like OF 100, and you like rye, you'll love it. This is just the rye version of my daily drinker, so I'm obviously a fan. Neat or in a simple cocktail.

This Rye tastes much better than the price implies. A bar staple. Great alone or in cocktails.

Best budget rye on the market.

Open approximately 9.5 months Nose - Strong oak and rye spice, chocolate-covered cherries, black pepper, medium ethanol, orange peel, toffee Palate - Baking spices, charred malted barley, caramelized oak and toffee, minimal ethanol burn. It finishes with strong oak and tannins, much drier than I expected given the nose and taste. This is a great bargain rye and much better than most ryes that are in the $30-50 range, including almost all MGP-sourced ryes I've had. I think this hits the sweet spot between barely legal rye and 95/5 rye, with the high % of malted barley really balancing out the rye by adding those sweeter toffee flavors. It's never a go-to for me, but I have turned others onto this as one of the best cocktail mixers you can buy for the money. Highly recommend this for your bar shelf if you prefer rye over bourbon but don't want the noticeable bite of the 95/5 mashbill.

Really damn good budget rye. 1L bottle for 24.99. It has this very unique grape bubblegum/artificial candy note that makes it fun to sip neat and also makes some interesting cocktails. This note seems to fade to more bready, honey, and floral notes a it sits. Pretty noticeable oak presence throughout. Doesn't come off as obviously as a rye on the nose but some spice and eucalyptus show on the front palate. Very good and surprisingly complex. I feel like that artificial/medicinal fruit note might turn some off though.

Awesome in Manhattan. Medium spice