Old Forester President's Choice Bourbon Review [In Depth]
Old Forester President's Choice Bourbon
by: ALEX WANG
Founder, writer
Founder, writer
Old Forester President's Choice BourbonDetails
Distillery: Old Forester
Type & Region: Bourbon, Kentucky, USA
Alcohol: 60.25%
Composition: No idea what mashbill they’re using
Aged: 7-9 years
Color: 1.4/2.0 on the color scale (tawny)
Price: $225 (750ml)
From the press release
Inspired by private single barrels offered in 1964 by former Old Forester president George Garvin Brown II, this modern offering is specifically selected from matured barrels with exquisite quality and distinct characteristics.
“Every barrel selected for President’s Choice tells a story,” Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo said. “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.”
Each President’s Choice barrel is aged between 7 – 9 years, and bottled at proof points selected by Caleb and Melissa highlighting their unique flavor profile, traditionally ranging from 110 to 125 proof. Every bottle reflects the highest standards of selection, with only the finest barrels deemed worthy of carrying the President’s Choice name.
Old Forester President's Choice Bourbon overview
This is a completely new one for me – Old Forester President’s Choice Single Barrel Bourbon. This has been released for years and for the life of me I’ve never been able to obtain it or try it. This media sample and this review are the first time I’ve ever had this, and I’m grateful for the chance to try something new and expensive, but as always I’ll be honest about it.
I won’t go into Old Forester’s history, but you likely already know about the legacy brand. Their products are everywhere and you’re likely familiar with their everyday releases such as Old Forester Bourbon, Old Forester 1920, 1910, 1897, 1924, and many others.
In most ways, President’s Choice Single Barrels, at their core, are specially selected single barrel bourbons (and now ryes), that technically are not that different from the barrel strength barrel selects that a liquor store might get. You know, the ones with the blue label.
The difference, and it’s a big one, is that some of the best barrels are available to be selected and are selected by Master Taster Melissa Rift and Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo, to try to mimic what the former Old Forester president might have picked himself. Unless someone owes you a big favor, I don’t think those honey barrels ever become available for the “normal” picks. I’ve helped do an Old Forester Barrel Pick, but I doubt that Old Forester brought out the amazing barrels for us.
Since this is a single barrel product, the sample I received also comes from some single barrel. I have no idea which one because the only indicator I have is the ABV: 60.25%. Unlike the bottle you might be lucky to buy or try, I do not have information on my sample bottle about the age. The only thing I know is that it’s somewhere around 7-9 years old.
Let’s get an idea of what Old Forester’s President might have selected in this Old Forester President’s Choice Single Barrel Bourbon review.
This sample was provided at no cost to me. All opinions are still my own.
As an FYI, I bought and use these Glencairn glasses for everything (they’re the best): Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glass Set of 6, Set of 4, Set of 2, or just one. Full transparency, this is an affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.
Old Forester President's Choice Bourbon smell
I smell deep and dark brown sugar, maraschino cherry, baked red apple, vanilla, mature and refined toasted oak, cinnamon, toasted caramel nougat, and dark chocolate. Old Forester President’s Choice smells fantastic with good body and fullness plus excellent dark sweetness, dried fruitiness, really mature oak that makes this smell like a nicely developed 10-12 year old bourbon.
This is at the same level of the amazing Old Forester Series 117 Warehouse I. I wish that it popped a little more, but I can’t stop smelling this already
After swirling and rest, I get refined and creamy caramel, vanilla bean, dried red apple, maraschino cherry, refined toasted oak and cinnamon, toasted nougat and coconut, maple syrup, banana, and candied pecans. This has delectable candied sweetness, toastiness, and nuttiness.
Old Forester President’s Choice Bourbon is magical and it just gets even better when I let it sit in the glass. The caramelized sweetness and oak build beautifully and become even more enamoring with time.
My main critique – I wish that it had more dark dried berry scents and a little more roundness, but otherwise I’m captivated.
I did not review this one, just for illustrative purposes
Old Forester President's Choice Bourbon taste and aftertaste
I taste rich caramel, vanilla bean, dried cherry, and dried apple followed by refined toasted oak, caramel nougat, dark chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, coconut, and occasional shimmers of fresh orange and fennel. I’m not going to get too ahead of myself just yet, but one sip in and it’s already very clear that I’m going to enjoy this a lot.
The dark sweetness, fruitiness, and oakiness have amazing fullness and presence with brighter fruit and spice accents that are decadent. Even one to two sips in, it’s very obvious to me that Old Forester President’s Choice Bourbon is a rich, bold, complex, and decadent bourbon and some of the best Old Forester Bourbon that I’ve ever had
With intense “chewing”, I taste dense caramel, vanilla bean, baked red apple and dried cherry, an explosion of pleasantly refined toasted oak, cinnamon, toasted nougat + coconut + banana, maple syrup, and nutmeg. Wow, wow, wow what a sensory ride.
That mega explosion of decadent and bold sweetness, oak, and spice after chewing for a few seconds just seals the deal that this is special. Old Forester President’s Choice Bourbon is a masterfully selected bourbon with incredible flavor, vibrance, expressiveness, and range.
The finish leaves a beautiful mix of caramel, dried cherry and apple, vanilla bean, refined toasted oak, coconut, coffee, cinnamon, and fennel that turns into sweet toasted oak, tobacco, cinnamon, and sweet vanilla that fades in sweet oak, vanilla ice cream, maple syrup, and candied nuts
Damn the price, damn the rarity, and damn my inability to get a bottle, this is truly exceptional bourbon. It’s glorious and I despise that the glass is empty because I want so much more. I am a very critical bourbon curmudgeon and I’ll be harsh if it’s warranted, but dammit I am blown away by this.
I’ve unfortunately lost some Glencairn’s while in transit, and that made me very sad. So, I wised up and bought this Glencairn Travel Case that comes also comes with 2 glasses so I don’t need to worry so much about them breaking. I think it’s great, and I think you’ll love it too.
Seriously, if you already have glasses, protect them.
Old Forester President's Choice Bourbon Rating
My goodness, what a ridiculously and ludicrously delectable bourbon. Damn you Old Forester for giving this 50ml sample (even though the label shows 100ml) and then making it extremely difficult to obtain more. I want my fix… I want more! I want more!!!!!! But alas, I’ve been delighted by the experience and very sad that it has ended.
In my somewhat broad bourbon experience, this is easily the best Old Forester Bourbon that I’ve ever had. Could King of Kentucky surpass this? Probably…but who knows when I’ll ever get a bottle / sample to find out.
The scents and flavors both pack so much deep and expressive character, and holy moly the flavors just explode with “chewing”. I haven’t had this level of explosiveness in a while, and I’m glad to experience it again. It just goes to show that single digit aged bourbon, in this case 7-9 years in oak, can be incredibly mature, refined, and developed way beyond its years.
I’ve read some grumbling about the lower age range, and I understand that feeling. It never feels good to know that a company is using younger whiskey than they did before because they’re taking something away from you. For better or worse, I don’t know have any experience with the longer aged versions, so I have no reference what might be lost. I just have this one experience here, and it is super good.
I sometimes have another whiskey after doing a review, and the only thing I could think of to follow this was Wild Turkey 12 Year Cheesy Gold Foil from 1991. It might be a bad idea because the Wild Turkey is 20 proof lower…but fuck it. Few things I have on my shelf can follow a bourbon like this.
And as I sip dusty Wild Turkey and think about what I just drank, Old Forester, like virtually all bourbon these days, doesn’t have quite the same level of overall refinement in the oak, fruit, and sweetness. The finish is also unreal compared to the already excellent Old Forester. They don’t make bourbon like they used too, but Old Forester is making some incredible stuff with a different, more modern, personality.
But since old Wild Turkey isn’t being released anytime soon and Old Forester is actually selling this new stuff, I sure as hell will still congratulate Old Forester on an amazing bourbon and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who can get it.
Will it fall victim to the secondary market? Absolutely, but unfortunately so. I personally am grateful (but also sad) that I was presented the opportunity to drink this because I will do my best to remember and cherish it for years to come. I also hope that many of you will also enjoy this in the years to come.
Meet the Author: Alex
I have far too much fun writing about whiskey and singlehandedly running The Whiskey Shelf to bring you independent, honest, and useful reviews, comparisons, and more. I’m proudly Asian American and can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and some Japanese.
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Shattered glass really sucks, so if you’re on the move, this Glencairn-like stainless steel snifter glass should survive your travels. Full transparency, this is an Amazon affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.
BrüMate NOS’R, Double-Wall Stainless Steel Whiskey Nosing Glass – 7oz (Matte Black)
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