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Old Forester Statesman vs Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Old Forester Statesman and Old Grand-Dad Bonded are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$50 – $55 vs. ~$24 – $30).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester Statesman | Old Grand-Dad Bonded |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +5 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $55 | ~$24 – $30 ~$26 less |
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Old Forester Statesman
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester Statesman Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 8/5 sweetness: Old Forester Statesman 8 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
spice 5/8 spice: Old Forester Statesman 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10
fruit 7/4 fruit: Old Forester Statesman 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10
nuttiness 2/5 nuttiness: Old Forester Statesman 2 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
heat 4/6 heat: Old Forester Statesman 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10
oak 5/5 oak: Old Forester Statesman 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- Old Forester Statesman: Old Forester's fruit-forward middle child, first made for a spy movie tie-in. Bright cherry and brown sugar lead, with cocoa and a touch of the house banana note.
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Forester Statesman if you want a bright, cherry-sweet Old Forester that sits between the 100 and 1920 in weight.
- Go with Old Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Old Forester Statesman); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded).