Tag: Old Forester Bourbon

Old Forester 1910 Bourbon Review

Posted on 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:

– 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: $54.95 USD in Idaho

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

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

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 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:
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.

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Old Forester 1897 Bourbon

Posted on by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Old Forester 1897 Bourbon Review:

08-September-2020

OLD FORESTER 1897 BOTTLED-IN-BOND BOURBON REVIEW:

Old Forester 1897 Bourbon is a dark whiskey. From its aromas and flavors to its finish, all the typical bourbon traits are masked in well blended depth. Sure there are traces of signature Brown-Forman cherry notes, but 1897 is subtle, and yet so much more. From the color, aroma and taste and on to the finish, the barrel has clearly influenced this bourbon. Read on for my complete review of this satisfying pour.

OLD FORESTER 1897 BOTTLED-IN-BOND BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Old Forester 1897 Bourbon

Category: Straight Bourbon
Region: Kentucky, USA
Company: Brown-Forman
Distillery: Old Forester Distillery / Brown-Forman Distillers
Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel entry proof: 125
Age: nas
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
No batch or bottle number identifiers
Purchase Price: $49.95 USD (2020 – Idaho)

Learn more at https://brown-forman.com/.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, alternate amounts, equaling about 4 ounces, were poured into Glencairns from a newly opened bottle. The bourbon was then enjoyed neat with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

OLD FORESTER 1897 NOSE:

Old Forester 1897 Bourbon has a strong, aromatic nose one can smell many fine aromas as soon as the cork is popped. Even from two feet away, bourbony warm roasted corn and dry dusty grains drift from the glass. When brought to my nose, the faint aroma of tobacco blends with notes of apple. And the Brown-Forman cherry essense I’ve come to expect from the distillery’s offerings is present as well. But dark aromas prevail too. Deep allspice, cinnamon, cloves and rye blend with the juice of figs, dark chocolate and a drop or two of rich vanilla. The entire mixture is nestled in a toffee-like burnt caramel, dark molasses and crushed roasted nuts. Continuing with the dark, there’s plenty of toasted dry old oak and barrel char which fades to musty leather. This bourbon makes me salavate.

OLD FORESTER 1897 PALATE:

The first sip has a subtle bite and is dry and warm. As on the nose, dusty grain, faint tobacco notes and Brown-Forman cherry fruit leather treats the tongue. I am not a cigar smoker, but could see how a nice stick could be enjoyed. When I hold a good sip in my mouth for a prolonged period, smoked graham cracker, rich burnt vanilla, burnt marshmallow skin and caramel make for wonderful treat. While I wouldn’t call 1897 a sweet bourbon, the same dark molasses, toffee sensed on the nose with some bitter walnut, pass to the palate. Old Forester 1897 Bourbon is not overly spicy yet cloves, green pepper and rye dance on the tongue. As I finish each sip, seasoned, dry old oak and smokey, sweet barrel char fade comfortably away.

Old Forester 1897 Bourbon

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
This bourbon is solid and soft, smooth and well blended. Clinging droplets suspend from an ill-defined crown. As I roll the glass to coat with liquid, widely spaced legs form, returning the liquid to the terracotta colored pool of the Glencairn.

OLD FORESTER 1897 FINISH:

Old Forester 1897 Bottle-in-Bond Bourbon finishes long, dry and warm with a pleasant herbalness, and elements of dusty corn and grain. Its fruits of fig and the ever-present Brown-Forman cherry peak in and out of seasoned dry old oak and leather. And as I sip the last drops, the soft aroma of old oak planks drying in a warehouse float from the empty Glencairn.

MY OLD FORESTER 1897 RATING: 88/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? YES
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

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

OLD FORESTER 1897 TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Old Forester 1897 Bourbon
Old Forester 1897 Bourbon

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