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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