Old Forester 86 Proof Review

Hannah’s Old Forester 86 Proof Review

Original review written October 20, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

For $20, I find this to be a great value whiskey. It offers way more than I expected it would, with a woody, minty, unique flavor profile, and a dash of Old Forester cherry too. 88/100

VITALS:
Old Forester 86 Review

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Brown-Forman Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Corn=73%; Rye=18%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 43% (86 proof)
– Price: $19.95 USD in Idaho

For more information, visit oldforester.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

This would be a great bourbon to enjoy outside, looking through pines out onto a peaceful lake. The sky is a loving and warm lavender, as the sun goes down in a calm, fulfilling evening. 86 is what you drink as you sign off on a busy day, toasting your glass to nature and a productive tomorrow.

Picture taken by Hannah Dawson

NOSE:

Warm and soft oak LEAP out of the glass without even needing to bring it to my nose. When I do go for a deep inhale, I find roasted corn, caramel, and an artificial cherry that is similar to a cough syrup. (Personally, I’ve always liked that smell, so I’m not bothered.)

REALLY deep draws help me detect a subtle white pepper, but in no way is it easily found. An old leather emerges the more the glass breathes, marrying the wood and forming a blanket coating around the other flavors here.

Somewhere in here also is a mint candy sweetness, but it’s fleeting. The mint here is not herbal – rather, it too seems artificial and very weak in its freshness quality. Simply put, it’s a weak, mint candy that runs in and out. Regardless, this nose is way more complex than I expected, and I’m looking forward to sipping.

PALATE:
Old Forester 86 Review

– Mouth Feel: It’s watery, but there’s an effervescence that makes it interesting.
– Balance: Unexpectedly good. Maybe a little mint heavy, but not bad.
– Visual: Russet muscat in color, there are long, thick, clinging legs, but not much of a crown.

– Taste: Wood and corn come out strongest in the first sip. At 86 proof, this doesn’t burn at all, except for a small tickle. I wasn’t expecting a burn, so again, I’m not bothered.

The mint quality is here on the palate too, but this mint seems far more herbal and less artificial. The leather is here too, and would likely be the dominating flavor were it not for this mint that keeps chasing and nipping at my taste buds – playfully, I might add. In any case, it’s a newer leather this time, and for some reason, my mind keeps going to shoe leather?

At the back of the palate, I find grass and the classic Old Forester cherry, subdued though it may be. It could even be the sensation of cherry rather than the distinct taste. A pinch of mild spice sits with the grass and cherry, but I really have to hunt for it.

A Kentucky chew is mild-tempered in heat, yet playful in nature. All that comes of it flavor-wise is a gentle brightening and warming of the cherry. It’s a fun enough exercise, I’ll likely repeat it.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. I’m shocked it has any staying power at all, but the taste (not SO much the warmth) lingers a bit.
– Between Sips: The essence of dried cherries and wood sit between sips. It’s pleasant enough – nothing fancy.

– No More: The cherries continue to grow, but they aren’t particularly juicy. There’re also some apples that emerge with the cherries the further I get into the glass. The warmth intensifies a bit, but a medium finish is where I’ll commit.

The empty Glencairn is oak and cherry. Just a really solid combination.

WORTH THE PRICE?

All in all, are there better whiskeys? Definitely. But at $20, it’s impossible to go wrong with Old Forester 86.

RATING: 88/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Old Forester.

Back to…

Hannah’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

Old Forester 86 Bourbon Review

Brian’s Old Forester 86 Bourbon Review:


20-October-2020

OLD FORESTER 86 BOURBON REVIEW:

I’ve been on reviewing easier to find bourbons off and on for a while now and Old Forester 86 Bourbon is next up – In fact the bottle has been in the bunker for several months now. On the the review …
When the cap of Old Forester 86 Bourbon was first twisted off, gentle candy sweet aromas wafted from the bottle. In my mouth, an essence of minty freshness mixes with dark fruits and the finish grows as the pour is enjoyed.

OLD FORESTER 86 BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Old Forester 86 Bourbon Review

– Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Region: Louisville, KY, USA
– Distillery: Brown-Forman
– Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
– Barrel Char: #4
– Barrel entry proof: 125
– Age: nas (unpublished)
– ABV: 43% (86 Proof)
– Price: ($19.95 2020 – Idaho)

Learn more at https://www.oldforester.com/.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

Old Forester 86 is quite aromatic upon twisting open the cap. When the whiskey is brought to the nose the soft alcohol fades to light fruit tree blossoms and mint. Tart apple and maraschino cherries blend with spices of nutmeg, white pepper and rye and sweet aromas of orange sponge cake, vanilla custard. Additional candy sweets of vanilla taffy, circus peanuts, butterscotch, and caramel corn blended with hints of cashews and light oak. To my nose, the aromas are quite gentle.

PALATE:

The soft alcohol sensed on the nose is warm and passes to the palate. Roasted corn and dusty grain mix with mint giving Old Forester 86 a certain freshness yet I also taste dark fruits of currants and fig and the sensation of ark dried fruit leather on my tongue. Spices of dark cinnamon, black pepper and rye counter sweets of orange sponge cake, burnt sugar, burnt caramel, dark molasses, and a hint of honeycomb. The is also a trace bitter walnut to go with dry, seasoned oak, and barrel flavors of toasted wood and char. A solid Kentucky Chew is not going to hurt seasoned bourbon drinkers and as I drank my pour I noted the palate is much darker than the nose.

Old Forester 86 Bourbon Review

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
The nose and palate of Old Forester 86 are disjointed; light versus dark yet this is a simple and light bourbon that is a bit watery and at the same time smooth. In the Glencairn a nice crown of clinging droplets gives way to long evenly spaced clinging legs which drop into the russet colored bowl.

FINISH:

The medium long finish of Old Forester 86 lengthens the more I drink. It is a soft alcohol, dry and warm and the dusty grain comes through. The finish is a bit bitter – maybe citrus zest, which is a nice balance to the black pepper and rye. The sweets are gone as dry oak, toasted wood, and barrel char leave a woody aftertaste blending with sensations of leather. When the whiskey is gone, the empty Glencairn presents with sweet woody caramel.

MY RATING: 84/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? NO
While this bourbon is in my wheelhouse and the price point is GREAT, I prefer so many others.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 84/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Old Forester.

WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Old Forester 86 Bourbon Review
Old Forester 86 Bourbon Review

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Reviews