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Old Forester 1870 Bourbon Review

Posted on 18-September-202129-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Old Forester 1870 Bourbon Review

Original review written September 14, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This is certainly an easy, daily sipper, and for it being the “Original Batch,” I imagine the people who “originally” drank this expression, were very happy sippers, indeed. 87/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Brown-Forman Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: nas
– Mash Bill: Corn=72%; Rye=18%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 46.5% (93 proof)
– Price: $44.95 USD in Idaho

Visit brown-forman.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I imagine enjoying Old Forester 1870 someplace small and cozy, perhaps in or around a wooden shed. It may not sound glamorous, but that’s the point. When you are accompanied by a solid sipper, every place you visit, you walk with a pep in your step. It makes the goings easier, and it even makes the scenery – no matter how simple – a bit more beautiful than you could’ve imagined.

Photo by Kevin Jarrett on Unsplash

NOSE:

This smells quintessentially Old Forester, with hazy barrel char erupting from the glass mixing with dark fruit. Sweet, dark berry nectar mixed with a bit of allspice makes for an altogether almost leathery component. There’s a bit of toffee and some mustiness that likely comes from the barrel char. The sweetness in general is the kind of sweetness that is always appetizing, regardless of whether or not you have a sweet tooth, and that certainly makes it even more appealing and enticing. Other than these flavors – which all make me very excited – the nose isn’t particularly complex. It’s a simple, fruity, subtly sweet nose. And there is nothing wrong with that.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: This has a very soft mouth feel. While simplistic, it pairs with the flavors and theme of gentleness quite well.
– Balance: Solid. Nothing fancy or outstanding, but it’s solid all the same.
– Visual: Tawny in color, there is a broken crown with some clinging droplets and some fast-dropping legs.

– Taste: This is very mild, and the flavors are relatively simple (this does not mean bad). I’ve been sipping now for some time, trying to pick apart this palate, but the woody/sawdusty blend is just solid. The wood has a savory herb influence (rosemary), along with some yeast to make it a little bready. There are some nuts here also, but they are quite mild. When really searching, I can find some currants as well as some very dried out huckleberry and cranberries. This is coupled with an organic/un-sweetened maple syrup that marries the fruit together.

The alcohol is inoffensive and easy to hold, and it doesn’t try to bite in the slightest. When I partake in a Kentucky chew, the herbal, savory bread is the lead flavor, backed by a hint of the dried fruits. The fruits eventually envelop the bread component and become a bit more pronounced before fading, once again, to the background.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Short. I get some flavor left over, but there is not much heat present.
– Between Sips: I think the breadiness is what sticks around the most between sips, but there could be some of the dried fruits that linger on the tip of the tongue.

– No More: This stays very consistent throughout the glass, which is not a bad thing. This is a daily sipper through and through, with no surprises, just easy pouring.

The empty Glencairn is another mild oak that carries with it the softest hint of the berry sweetness. Overall, a very good bourbon, and one to which I will certainly return.

WORTH THE PRICE?

For what the proof is, and what the price is, I think this bourbon meets the criteria of what I would consider a good value bourbon. While people may shy away from something that is acknowledged as simple, or even as something that may not meet the expectations that is Old Forester… I think this is a really fine bourbon. Don’t necessarily go into it with the greatest expectations, but it is worth exploring. (I daresay you should always manage anticipations/expectations on first tastings appropriately because you run the risk of hurting you and the whiskey.)

OLD FORESTER 1870 BOURBON REVIEW RATING: 87/100

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Old Forester 1910 Bourbon Review

Posted on 23-March-202129-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Old Forester 1910 Bourbon Review

Original review written March 16, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This is unlike any other Brown-Forman product I have ever had, but 1910 easily skyrockets into one of my new favorite bourbons, and I look forward to having it again. 91/100

VITALS:

Visit brown-forman.com for more information

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:

I’d love to take Old Forester 1910 with me into the mountains when I go fishing. There’s an essence of my favorite river in this bourbon, and sitting on the banks while the sun comes up, surrounded by bubbling water and animals waking up sounds picturesque with this bourbon. Consider it a new goal of mine!

Photo taken by WftA editor, Hannah Dawson

NOSE:

This has rich notes of earth, but especially vanilla on the first draws, with the whole sensation giving off an incredibly warm tone. Deep inhales make for a caramel, molasses, or maple candy treat, and perhaps a bit of pastry. There is not much in the way of fruit, though it’s possible that a dark stone fruit like figs or prunes is coming through a little. Not much spice, and certainly not a heavy alcohol presence either. The wood is old here, but it almost seems a bit like pine as opposed to oak. It’s as though I am in a pine forest, and there is a bit of smokiness from a nearby campfire – there is a definite smoky element here.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: VERY oily. It’s honestly such a joy to have at the tip of the tongue, I actually tend to forget that I need to swallow.
– Balance: Not necessarily complex, but definitely solid and just rich and deep. Never a bad thing.
– Visual: This is terracotta pot in color, and it’s a pot that has been certainly fired, as it is very brown in tint. The crown reminds me a lot of Roman arches, with evenly spaced, but thick legs dropping at a snail’s pace down the glass.

– Taste: The first sips don’t want to offer up any distinguishing flavors, but it is definitely rich and deep in body. It’s almost as though I’m eating a caramel dipped apple, but the apple is soft and offers mostly just a base for the caramel to take its leap. There is a bit of brown sugar, and maybe some maple, but I have to really be looking for these flavors. I think the pastry element from the nose is also present, and it acts like the oak in many other bourbons, meaning it seems to bind everything together very seamlessly.

Other fruit could be figs or dates, but they are dark and very subdued behind this sweet, (yet somehow, not surgary) profile. The alcohol is non-existent to an experienced whiskey drinker, but even as someone who enjoys high proof, I find this absolutely delectable.

A Kentucky chew kicks up the pastry and figs, and it’s just enjoyable overall.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. There’s a bit of warmth, and a bit of a lingering flavor, but they aren’t ridiculously strong.
– Between Sips: The apple from that caramel apple makes a return between sips, along with a bit of pine and oak.

– No More: This stays quite consistent throughout the glass, and is really just such a sheer joy to drink and have just sit on the tongue. The depth and richness are such a highlight of this bourbon; I love it.

The empty Glencairn smells like pastry, chocolate, and figs. Very new aromas for an empty glass, but still very welcome and enjoyable.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Being 93 proof and only $5 cheaper than Old Forester 1920 (which is 115 proof), I can understand hesitation to pick up a bottle. However, this is incredibly enjoyable with rich, dark tones that I can see myself very easily reaching for this again. Definitely give it a try!

RATING: 91/100

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Click 91/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Old Forester.

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Old Forester 86 Proof Review

Posted on 26-October-202029-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

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:

– 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:

– 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

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

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