Tag: Old Forester

This Fortnight in Whiskey S01E06

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Old Forester 100 Proof Review

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Hannah’s Old Forester 100 Proof Review

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Revisiting this one shortly after recording our first Podcast Review “We Pick”, Old Forester 100 Proof still sits as a great bourbon at a great value.

VITALS:
Old Forester 100 Proof Review

– 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: 50% (100 proof)
– Price: $29.95 USD in Idaho in 2023

For more information, visit oldforester.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed this drink originally on our podcast, Whiskey for the Ages, and am now revisiting it again, in a Glencairn. I am also with father and editor, Brian, and my sister, Elora for this tasting.

Check out Brian’s review here and Elora’s here!

SETTING:

This bourbon is a diamond in the rough – great taste, great value, great availability. It certainly brings out a wonderment in me, given what I do know about the market and what the bourbon unicorns are. This pour makes me want to reach for a favorite childhood toy – putting together colorful blocks our of the pure joy of simplicity and not having to think hard to have a good time. No tricks, just happiness.

Photo by Mourizal Zativa on Unsplash

NOSE:

This nose offers floral notes to mix with a surprising wheat grain element, even without wheat being a part of the mash bill for this bourbon. Customary to Old Forester products, there are also the classic dark fruits like cherry and fig, mixing with a dark vanilla custard/pudding. The vanilla provides the majority of sugary sweetness, though a simple syrup/almost light caramel are also detected. Not much in the way of spice, except for some of standard baking ones like cinnamon and nutmeg. Both are very subtle however underneath all of these other aromas.

PALATE:
Old Forester 100 Proof Review

– Mouth Feel: Slightly more watery than I was expecting, and it is this component that I’d say is the weakest component to this pour.
– Balance: Initially hotter than a 100 proof would seem and then it tapers into heavy fruits. I wouldn’t say that Old Forester 100 isn’t balanced, but there is a distinct threshold between each flavor profile.
– Visual: Tawny in color, the crown at first looks like it will separate into droplets, but they do eventually coagulate into a fine line of a crown without fast falling, long legs dropping back into the glass.

– Taste: The heat of this is quite shocking at the outset. I have had plenty of very high proof bourbons before that come across the palate softer than this does on that first sip. Despite the shock, I found myself pleasantly surprised on the very first sip during our podcast, and I found myself anxiously looking forward to it again tonight on the second pour. Black pepper blooms, leading the charge of the heat hit. I do think that the alcohol tastes stronger than 100 proof in the glass, but I think the majority of the heat is from this black pepper.

The spice quickly gives way to the heavy fruits of the nose – cherry and fig abound, as if the fruit juice itself were sitting on the palate. These both descend into more of a classic vanilla taste, as opposed to the custard found on the nose.

A Kentucky chew does provoke the alcohol, but not as much as I was ready for. I believe it could be related to the watery mouth feel that the alcohol just cannot find the grip to sting hard. Instead, dried fruit leather comes out and makes the whole palate feel warm.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Long. During our first tasting, I didn’t want to commit a “Long” finish, but tonight on this second tasting, I am willing to concede. The warmth is dominant aspect of this bourbon that just stays, and stays, and stays. The warmth settles into the chest and radiates out.
– Between Sips: There isn’t a great deal of flavor in the pause between sips, but what is there, is slightly bready.

– No More: This stays consistent as I go through the glass, which I am quite grateful for. This continues to impress and I love that I know what I am getting on each sip.

The empty Glencairn is a powerful and spiced oak. It’s so fresh and new, it’s as if the power saw is actually still in the process of powering down after cutting the staves to their measurements.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Absolutely. At $30, this is almost cheap by today’s (2023) bourbon standards. This is a great bourbon to have to introduce to friends who are new to bourbon, and it’s a great value bourbon to keep in your own bunker too. It feels almost like a dirty secret, knowing how good it is behind that deceptive cheap price tag.

OLD FORESTER 100 PROOF REVIEW 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 Statesman Bourbon Review

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Hannah’s Old Forester Statesman Bourbon Review

Original review written September 18, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

It’s a good bourbon. Mild, gentle, and probably a great bourbon for beginners wanting to try outside of bottom-shelf bourbons. Would I buy it again? I don’t think I need to. 85/100

VITALS:
Old Forester Statesman Bourbon Review

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Brown-Forman Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: 4 years (said to be a mingling of 4 to 6 year old barrels selected from warmer sections of the distillery’s heat-cycled rickhouses)
– Mash Bill: Corn=72%; Rye=18%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 47.5% (95 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 imagine enjoying Old Forester Statesman on a train car. The seats are vintage, and the lights are a buttery, yellow glow that make everything warm. The lull of the train on the tracks, and perhaps a good book, would make this bourbon and you feel right at home as you wait to arrive at your destination.

Photo by Jennifer Latuperisa-Andresen on Unsplash

NOSE:

This smells immediately chocolate-y and caramelly in much the way a candy bar would on the first inhale. Barrel char is quick to follow, but it hasn’t become at all bitter – rather, it is more of an oaky bite. Along with the oak, however, I find a very strong pine element, not only just the wood, but even raw pinecones. It makes the whole aroma comforting and cozy, while also unique and different. I find other dark flavors that complement quite well, including leather, molasses, a salty toffee, and some roasted nuts. There isn’t much other spice beyond the barrel char and not a great amount of fruit either. There could be some bing cherries or maybe some wine tannins, but I don’t think these are the main heroes of this pour.

The alcohol is incredibly mild, and I don’t think there is a way to get burned on this nose, which is always nice.

PALATE:
Old Forester Statesman Bourbon Review

– Mouth Feel: Soft. No matter how much you push it around, Old Forester Statesman is going to remain soft.
– Balance: Solid. Nothing sticks out awkwardly, and the main flavor of nuts and oak work well together.
– Visual: Auburn in color, this produces many fast-dropping legs, and many clinging droplets after the legs fade.

– Taste: I can let this sit on the palate for some time without feeling at all bothered by the alcohol presence, as it continues to be mild. The palate itself offers up an instant nutty quality like walnuts, but pine nuts are also noted. Pine wood is again, present, but it is much more gentle than it was on the nose. The corn of the mash bill, I think, is providing the greatest sense of sweetness, though it is still minor. There could perhaps be some light vanilla and simple syrup; however, again, there is not much sweetness to note, and the sweetness that is present, is subtle.

As stated, the bourbon heat is minimal, and when I partake in a Kentucky chew, the alcohol still doesn’t punch hard, and the buttery-ness of the nuts only increases. It tastes just fine, but no new surprises or flavors from this exercise.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Short-Medium. I get a bit of warmth at the back of the palate after the sip, but not much else.
– Between Sips: There really isn’t much flavor between sips, save maybe for a tint of oak. I’d say this is a very clean pour.

– No More: This stays very consistent throughout the glass without anything significantly new to add. There could be a slight increase in heat, but it’s still very mild and relaxed.

The empty Glencairn is a sweet oak, and it is no surprise that it continues to be soft and very gentle. A good pour overall.

WORTH THE PRICE?

A very simple bourbon, but it is certainly rooted in all good things, and I do believe it stands out flavor-wise from its peers that are priced similarly. Whether or not I am wowed by what is offered is another matter. Though it’s different, and tastes fine, I’m not entirely sure that it is worth this price, when only a few dollars more gets you Old Forester 1920. If you are a beginner, trying out other shelves at your Liquor Store, this might be one to investigate, but otherwise, I don’t think it’s worth repeat purchases.

OLD FORESTER STATESMAN BOURBON REVIEW RATING: 85/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 85/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Old Forester.

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