New whiskey from Old Forester is a rye the angels apparently loved
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Old Forester releases High Angels’ Share Rye showcasing heat‑cycled warehouse maturation.
- Batch No. 001 is 110 proof, 375mL suggested retail price $64.99 at select Kentucky shops.
- Heat cycling raises wood interaction and evaporative loss, concentrating bold rye flavors.
The whiskey that evaporates from the barrel is known as the angels’ share, and sometimes the angels take more than others.
That’s the origin of the name of the latest addition to the Old Forester 117 Series: High Angels’ Share Rye.
It’s a Kentucky straight rye whiskey, released in limited small batches that showcase the concentration of flavor that can emerge from the special maturation environment that Old Forester uses.
The whiskey uses heat-cycled warehouses, which means they are artificially heated during cold weather. The summer-like conditions accelerate aging, increases the interaction with the wood of the barrel and can yield deeper flavors more quickly.
The downside is it sometimes causes more evaporative loss in certain barrels. But the concentration of flavors can be extra special.
“We’re continually amazed by what our warehouses can produce,” assistant master Distiller Caleb Trigo said in a news release. “With High Angels’ Share Rye, the angels clearly left their mark, yielding a rye whiskey that’s bold, concentrated, and deeply rewarding. It’s a celebration of both old-world tradition and the serendipitous magic that comes from maturation in motion.”
According to the tasting notes, the rye has a nose of rich chocolate, hazelnut, rip strawberry and bright herbal tones. On the palate, it’s citrus oils, burnt sugar and sandalwood, with layers of peppercorn and eucalyptus and a finish of earthy peppercorn, toasted oak, cedar and eucalyptus.
High Angels’ Share Rye is 110 proof, with a suggested retail price of $64.99 for a 375mL bottle at the Old Forester Distillery in downtown Louisville and at select Kentucky retailers.
This release is Batch No. 001, the inaugural release of a one-of-a-kind rye whiskey as part of the 117 Series, a collection that showcases Old Forester’s innovation. Old Forester is the founding brand of Brown-Forman, founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown.
