Old Forester President’s Choice Rye is a single barrel bourbon that the company states “is specifically selected from matured barrels with exquisite quality and distinct characteristics.” The Old Forester President’s Choice line was launched in 2018; however, until this release, it only consisted of a bourbon offering, which was only available at the Old Forester Distillery in downtown Louisville.

‍‍In June 2025, the company expanded the reach of its Old Forester President’s Choice line by opening up availability at select retailers nationwide. Additionally, they added rye to the lineup for the first time. Much like the Old Forester President’s Choice Bourbon, the Old Forester President’s Choice Rye will be selected from barrels that range in age from 7-9 years.

‍‍The sample provided for review is from a representative barrel, but neither its age nor barrel number was provided by the company.

The rye kicks things off with a heavy aroma. Spiced syrup wafts out and is joined by heavy baking spices and spiced raisins. A hint of dark berries, leather, and tobacco leaf linger in the background but requires a bit of searching to pull out. Overall, it’s a concentrated yet incredibly pleasing opening to the sip.

The midpoint of Old Forester President’s Choice Rye is in a constant state of flux between spicy, dry, and sweet notes. It starts off with a noticeable dry charred oak that butts up against rye spice. Leather joins the mix along with baking spices, before sweeter notes of brown sugar and syrup layer in. While the concentration of charred oak and dry notes holds it back from delivering the same high level of enjoyment produced by the whiskey’s aroma, it’s overall a nice midpoint for the sip.

The spice from the palate carries through as rye spice and light baking spices start the end of the journey for the sip. A noticeable charred oak note is present, and a faint note of vanilla bean adds a dab of sweetness. Ending on a lingering, overtly dry charred oak and spice note, the finish continues the trend of being less impactful compared to its counterpart that came before it.

Old Forester ryes have generally flown under the radar in comparison to the brand’s bourbon counterparts. This is in part because Old Forester offers so many more varieties of their bourbon, in particular, higher aged offerings. The company has also had less time to fine-tune their rye production, launching their rye in 2019. While Old Forester Single Barrel Rye has no age statement, it’s generally believed to be aged for 4-6 years. This means that Old Forester President’s Choice Rye, while only 7-9 years old, can be considered the highest age rye that the company will be releasing on an ongoing basis.

Unlike bourbon, single barrel, barrel proof ryes are still the exception to the norm. The category has slowly grown over the years, thanks to Jack Daniels, Michter’s, and Old Forester itself. And while private selections of single barrel, barrel proof ryes are gaining traction, the overall category is still a very small fraction in comparison to bourbon. Any new edition to the category is a welcome one and by default, slightly unique thanks to the utter lack of competition.  

While the group of single barrel, barrel proof ryes from major distilleries may be small, Old Forester clearly has intentions of standing out when it comes to Old Forester President’s Choice Rye. That’s not necessarily a good thing either. Priced at $225, it is not only the most expensive of the offerings mentioned above, but also over double what you normally see charged for the brand’s own standard Single Barrel Rye offering. While very good, the sip offered by Old Forester President’s Choice Rye doesn’t justify its exorbitant price tag in comparison to its other rye products and the overall quality that is offered in their President’s Choice Bourbon release. As a result, it presents as a not great value proposition for consumers.

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It’s always exciting to see a new line extension from a major Kentucky distillery, and even more so when it’s based in the smaller rye category. Fans of Old Forester President’s Choice Bourbon were excited not only to see increased availability but also that a rye was joining the President’s Choice line. The President’s Choice line represents the best of the best of Old Forester’s single barrel offerings, and Old Forester President’s Choice Bourbon often delivers on that promise.

Old Forester President’s Choice Rye had a lot of expectations riding on it for its inaugural debut, and while its sip is satisfying, its value proposition makes this more of a head-scratcher. Due to the limited number of major distilleries that play in this space, Old Forester President’s Choice Rye stands out as a high-priced product by a wide margin. While some may not care about its price tag, others should realize that while they’ll be happy with the sip the whiskey provides, you can also spend a fraction of the price to achieve the same result.