Review of Old Forester President's Choice Bourbon and Rye (2025)

 

courtesy of Old Forester

Most American whiskey drinkers have heard of Old Forester, which bills itself the first Bourbon packaged exclusively in sealed bottles. Something that is less commonly known is that it is the longest-continuously produced Bourbon, spanning a whopping 152 years! It is owned by Brown-Forman, which also owns well-known brands such as Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve.

 

George Gavin Brown founded the brand in 1870. As a pharmaceutical salesman, Brown understood the need to keep things people would ingest sterile. He also knew there were shady characters who would add nasty things to barrels of whiskey to stretch stocks and increase profits (which led to the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897). The solution was to prepackage his whiskey in sealed bottles.

 

Brown teamed up with George Forman (not the recently deceased infamous prizefighter), and their company was called Brown-Forman. When Forman passed away in 1901, Brown bought out Forman’s half of the organization but retained the name. In 1917, upon George's passing, his son, Owsley, took the helm and continued to grow the business. Today, 155 years later, Brown-Forman is publicly traded, with George Gavin Brown IV serving as Chairman of the Board and his brother, Campbell Brown, as President.

 

Officially, each year since 1956, the President has selected what he considers to be one of the most exquisite barrels of Bourbon in stock. Unofficially, it is said that this tradition began in 1890 when George Brown gave a barrel to then-Kentucky Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner. It continued until 1972 when the stocks of the barrels picked by George Gavin Brown II were depleted.

 

Then, in 2018, Campbell Brown opted to bring that tradition back to life and called it President’s Choice. And, new for 2025, there will be both a Bourbon and a Rye bearing that title.

 

“President’s Choice has always been an incredibly rare and cherished bottle, and most consumers have never seen it, let alone tasted the whisky. We are honored to bring it to a wider audience.” – Melissa Rift, Master Taster

 

You’ll have to throw me in that group. What’s even worse is that, until today, I’ve never heard of President’s Choice.

 

“Every barrel selected for President’s Choice tells a story. These are the barrels that showcase an extraordinary depth of character. Whether it’s the Bourbon or our new rye, each bottle represents the pinnacle of Old Forester’s craftsmanship.” – Caleb Trigo, Assistant Master Distiller

 

The selected barrels are aged between 7 and 9 years and bottled by Caleb and Melissa. They collaborated on the proofs; these are not barrel-proof whiskies.

 

Old Forester has provided me with a small sample of the Bourbon and Rye for this year’s President’s Choice for a genuine #DrinkCurious opportunity in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Before I get started, I did use a fresh Glencairn glass for each whisky.

 

President’s Choice Bourbon

 

courtesy of Old Forester

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Old Forester
• Age: Between 7 and 9 years
• Mashbill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
• Cooperage: 53-gallon new, #4-charred oak
• Alcohol Content: 60.25% ABV (120.5°)
• Price per 750mL: $225.00

 

Appearance: The deep, orange amber Bourbon formed a thicker rim. Thick, syrupy, medium-spaced tears fell back into the pool.

 

Nose: After allowing the whisky to breathe for about ten minutes, I brought the glass under my nostrils and inhaled. The aroma included cinnamon, leather, toffee, orange zest, and ripe cherries. Drawing the air through my lips provided a whisp of butterscotch.

 

Palate: A thin, oily mouthfeel introduced my palate to candied cherries, orange peel, and strawberries. As it moved to the middle, I found vanilla, cola, and cherry pie filling. The back included toffee, charred oak, and cinnamon.

 

Finish: Cherry pie filling, cola, vanilla, and strawberries slowly danced their way across my tongue and throat. Cinnamon started soft and casually ramped up to a crescendo. The duration was 1:16, making it medium; yet, without the stopwatch, it seemed far longer.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: As I sipped this Bourbon, the very first thought I had was, “This is familiar, almost like Old Forester Birthday Bourbon from 2017.” That cherry pie filling was a key. The strawberries were captivating.

 

President’s Choice Bourbon drank right at its stated proof; it was warming but not hot. It is beautifully balanced and full of flavors, and (again) I couldn’t get that 2017 OFBB out of my mind.

 

Is this a pricey Bourbon? Definitely. It also showcases what Old Forester is capable of. It tastes wonderful. Price notwithstanding, it deserves my Bottle rating.

 

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President’s Choice American Rye

courtesy of Old Forester

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Old Forester
• Age: Between 7 and 9 years
• Mashbill: 65% rye, 15% corn, 20% malted barley
• Cooperage: 53-gallon new, #4-charred oak
• Alcohol Content: 58.55% ABV (117.1°)
• Price per 750mL: $225.00

 

Appearance: Inside my glass, this Rye’s color was that of burnt umber. A medium rim formed; thick, fast, widely-spaced tears fell.

 

Nose: My olfactory sense picked up cinnamon, rye, cocoa, spiced nuts, and cherries. Pulling the vapor into my mouth revealed rich caramel.

 

Palate: President’s Choice Rye possessed a creamy mouthfeel. Flavors of caramel, toffee, and roasted almonds were on the front of my palate. Dark chocolate, cinnamon, and nutmeg ran across my mid-palate. The back featured charred oak, dill, and rye spice.

 

Finish: Cherries, almonds, cinnamon, rye spice, dill, mint, and caramel each competed for attention. There was also a hint of menthol. I timed the finish at 1:09, casting it into medium territory.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: President’s Choice Rye is an easy sipper. It drank below its stated proof by perhaps a dozen points. It has been some time since I’ve had Old Forester Rye, and I forgot how mild it is. That’s not a knock, just an observation, and due to that, it should appeal to many Bourbon drinkers and those who don’t gravitate to spicier Ryes.

 

If you have FOMO, then you’ll want to grab one of these. I just can’t see myself paying the price of admission, and as such, it earns my Bar rating.

 

Final Thoughts: Given the option between the President’s Choice Bourbon and Rye, I found the Bourbon superior. I’m willing to admit that my romanticism over the 2017 Birthday Bourbon may have influenced me. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.