REVIEW: Old Forester President's Choice Bourbon (2026)
It felt fitting to finally try this one on America's 250th.
A few weeks ago, a buddy and I were lucky enough to both score bottles of OF President's Choice during a trip to the Bourbon Trail. I'm trying to hold off on opening mine for a little while longer, so after my buddy cracked his bottle he was kind enough to give me a sample. That let me finally experience it while my own bottle stays sealed for another day.
For the holiday I staged the bottle with the America 250 rocks glasses, which just felt appropriate for the occasion. Once the pictures were taken, though, the rocks glasses went back on the shelf. A pour like this deserves a Glencairn, and that's exactly how I enjoyed it.
The color immediately stood out, deep amber with a beautiful orange-brown hue.
The nose was fantastic. Fresh leather hit me first, followed by cinnamon, baking spices, toasted oak, and just enough caramel underneath to round everything out. It actually confused me a bit. The spice profile was so pronounced that halfway through the pour I texted my buddy to ask if this was the Rye or the Bourbon.
It was definitely the bourbon.
The palate carried that same profile. Leather, cinnamon, dry oak, and layers of baking spice dominated the experience. There was sweetness there, but it stayed in the background instead of leading the way. The finish was long, oak-driven, and pleasantly dry without becoming tannic.
The biggest surprise for me was just how spice-forward this bourbon was. My palate naturally leans toward the richer, sweeter profile (Stagg and EH Taylor are hard to beat for me) so this was quite different from what I expected. In fact, while I was drinking it I kept thinking how much it reminded me of a really exceptional rye.
That isn't a criticism, it's simply a different style. Rather than rich caramel and butterscotch, this bottle leans into leather, oak, and baking spices, and it does so beautifully. It's incredibly complex and rewards taking your time with it. I probably spent almost as much time nosing the glass as I did drinking it.
This may not become my new personal favorite, but it's absolutely a memorable pour and one I'm glad to have in the collection. Now the hard part is deciding how long to keep my own bottle sealed.
Rating: 8.6/10