Whiskey Row Series Archives – Whiskey for the Ages

Brian’s Old Forester 1870 Bourbon Review:

reviewed 14-September-2021

OLD FORESTER 1870 BOURBON REVIEW:

Old Forester 1870 is another fine bourbon in the Brown-Forman lineup. From the first waft to the final sip, 1870 represents what I expect from any Old Forester product. Faint notes of fruit and spice on the nose to its sweet woodiness on the palate and finish, this bourbon should earn a spot in anyone’s rotation.

OLD FORESTER 1870 BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
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: 46.5% (93 Proof)
Label Identifier: “Original Batch”
NABCA* Control State Code: 20369
Purchase Price: $44.95 USD (2021 – Idaho)

_{In 1870 George Garvin Brown created Old Forester on Louisville, KY’s, famous Whiskey Row. In honor of that milestone year in bourbon history, we have crafted a tribute – Old Forester 1870 Original Batch – the first expression in the Old Forester Whiskey Row series.}
^{— Old Forester}

Click Old Forester 1870 Original Batch to learn more.
*NABCA – National Alcohol Beverage Control Association Control State Code

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, alternate amounts, equaling about 4 ounces, were poured into Glencairns. 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 1870 BOURBON NOSE:

The first waft of Old Forester 1870 is dry with little if any burn. I sense sherried wine, fruit tree blossoms on the wind, roasted corn and dry grain along with sweet cherries, apricots, dried dark fruits, and raisins. Just a few wafts in and I’m salivating. 1870’s spices are faint but come through as cinnamon, ginger, white pepper, and rye. And in some nosings there is faint rye bread and subdued notes of buttery graham cracker pie crust. Its sweetness is candy-like: vanilla taffy, butterscotch and even stale marshmallows left in the bag too long. I get buttery caramelized sugar drizzled over toasted almonds as well. Best of all, 1870 has the traditional Old Forester nose as simple dry old oak and gently toasted wood fade in and out of each waft.

OLD FORESTER 1870 BOURBON PALATE:

When Old Forester 1870 is first sipped, there is a dry quick burn, but the whiskey is easy to hold. Second and subsequent sips bring fruit tree blossoms, roasted corn and a dark fruit mixture of currants and raisins. Then come spices of powdered ginger, pepper, and rye and sweets of bittersweet chocolate chips, hard candy, marshmallows, and caramelized sugar. There is a slight medicinal taste but it is sweet and not at all offensive as dry old oak, toasted wood and smoky sweet barrel char round out each mouthful. 1870 is another good bourbon from Brown-Forman.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Old Forester 1870 is well blended and feels silky in my mouth. After each sip, a bourbon curtain is drawn away quickly leaving behind fat clinging legs to transport the liquid to the tawny pool. Then, only a few drops remain, and there is no visible crown in the Glencairn whatsoever.

OLD FORESTER 1870 BOURBON FINISH:

Old Forester 1870 offers a short to medium warm and gentle finish. I get fleeting notes of currants with a touch of white pepper and marshmallows melted over toasted almonds. 1870 fades away on old and dry toasted oak planks with pleasant smoky sweet barrel char. This would be good with S’mores while sitting around a campfire as it’s leatheriness can be drawn from the empty Glencairn.

MY RATING: 87/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
The Old Forester products I’ve enjoyed have been consistently good to great. I will be keeping Old Forester 1870 on my shelf for many future pours.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process}_.

Click 87/100 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:

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Brian’s Old Forester 1910 Bourbon Review:

16-March-2021

OLD FORESTER 1910 BOURBON REVIEW:

Old Forester 1910 Bourbon as its name suggests, is “Old Fine Whiskey”. While only a few elements of fruit or spice come through on each sip, 1910 is sweet, but not in the sugary sense. It’s more of a dark sweetness, which for me is about perfect. I found this bourbon is easy to hold in my mouth and after several Kentucky Chews, I had to remind myself to swallow so I could savor the taste. For people who like a smoky oak barrel bomb: buy, Buy, BUY! (And pick up another bottle for the bunker as well.)

OLD FORESTER 1910 VITAL STATS:

Category: Straight Bourbon
Region: Kentucky, USA
Company: Brown-Forman
Distillery: Brown-Forman Shively Distillery
Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel entry proof: 125
Second Barreling Proof: 100
Age: nas
ABV: 46.5% (93 Proof)
Purchase Price: $54.95 USD (2020 – Idaho)

Read the full story at 1910 Old Fine Whisky.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I enjoyed a neat pour in a Glencairn from a newly opened bottle with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

OLD FORESTER 1910 BOURBON NOSE:

When first I popped the Old Forester 1910 cork, I got a faint hit of citrus but little if any alcohol to offend the nose. Upon taking the first sniff, my nose picked up that faint but now bitter citrus along with a trace of herbalness. I also got another fruit; faint, like a scrap of raisin stuck to the inside of an empty SUN-MAID snack box. The spices are scant as well, just a bit of clove and rye.

1910’s sweetness is of simple caramelized sugar, and nearly burnt dark molasses. But in this nectar, it’s the second barreling which shines. Heavy, old oak, hazy toasted wood, and sweet smoky barrel char abound. As I breath in, I am reminded of oak charcoal smoke, like one might get when opening the door of a smoker or smokehouse well into its duties. 1910’s smoky darkness melds into musty leather as a slight peatiness springs from the Glencairn. 1910 just smells good.

OLD FORESTER 1910 BOURBON PALATE:

As on the nose Old Forester 1910’s 46.5% ABV does not assert in the mouth. This is sippin’ whiskey at its finest. It warms and the herbal aroma comes through as taste buds detect faint apple enriched pipe tobacco. And while faint, figs and dates are mix with warm spices of clove, ginger, pepper and rye. Just like on the nose, the sweetness here is tempered, like faint chocolate cream and burnt dark molasses rather than sugary. After each sip I had to remind myself to swallow so I could sense and enjoy each muted flavor. In the mouth, woodiness mirrors the old oak aromatics of hazy, toasted wood, and the smoky sweet barrel char balances with musty and earthy leather. This is a good bourbon.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
The fist sip of Old Forester 1910 is nearly perfect. I love its rich smoothness and viscous oiliness. 1910 is easy to hold and visually, it is just as thick in the Glencairn. Fat legs return the liquid to the dark burnt amber pool leaving a lingering and evenly spaced inverted crown.

OLD FORESTER 1910 BOURBON FINISH:

If there is fault with Old Forester 1910, it would be in its short finish; although each waft and sip begs another. As I reflect, my throat is warmed with memories of tobacco, rye, dark sweets and heavy oak, hazy, toasted wood, and smoky sweet barrel char. And when the glass is emptied (all too soon I might add), the scent of a working smokehouse remains.

MY OLD FORESTER 1910 BOURBON RATING: 91/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
When I want earthy depth and sweet smoke in a bourbon, I’ll be reaching for 1910.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

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

OLD FORESTER 1910 BOURBON TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

Back to …

Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Reviews