Old Forester has about as much tradition as you can get in a Bourbon. It is a single brand of Bourbon that has been continuously available for 145 years — most of that time from the same family of craftsmen at the same distillery. Interestingly, it was the first Bourbon to be available exclusively in sealed glass bottles. There was a lot of nefarious re-bottling and dilution going on and this was a way to ensure quality and integrity. Today it is owned by Brown-Forman, available in eight different varieties and is a sister Bourbon to Woodford Reserve.
Old Forester was created by George Gavin Brown in 1870. He employed a technique that is fairly common these days — but was rare back then — of combining Whiskey lots from different batches and distilleries to craft a more consistent flavor. Old Forester 1870 Original Batch Bourbon follows that formula by blending barrels from different batches and warehouses in the Old Forest inventory. Again, the object is to create a consistent flavor profile. And the judges agree — it received a rare Double Gold medal at the SFWSC in 2015 and high points ranking at the international competitions.
What does Old Forester 1870 Original Batch taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Old Forester 1870 Original Batch and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
Whisky or Whiskey? The spelling differs geographically. In Scotland, Japan, and some other parts of the world, distilleries usually spell it Whisky; in Ireland and the USA, they spell it Whiskey.
New favorite. Absolutely fantastic drink. Fantastic flavor, very "authentic" almost.
George,
Like it for every day drink , good Manhattan maker
Brian,
Decent... but still liked 1910 the best
Ben,
Affordable; great for mixing.
Aaron,
Very nice. A little spice with a sweet taste
Jeff,
Oak, leathery, slight spice notes. Complex for the cost.
Charles,
"What will you have?" Asked the tender at the speakeasy themed bar I stopped into in 2016. "I have always been a beer guy" I began to answer. "Well you're going to be drinking (hard alcohol) tonight!" The bartender replied to his surprisingly rhetorical question. 1870 was one of the five whiskeys tbe bartender "forced upon me" the
I didn't know it
Robert,
Nose: caramel, oak, vanilla, brown sugar. Taste: brown sugar, oak, buttery, spice, light coffee. My first Old Forester and I liked it. Has a lot of flavors going for it. Really interested in stepping up to the 1920 for the higher proof and complexity.
Robert,
Nose: caramel, oak, vanilla, brown sugar. Taste: brown sugar, oak, buttery, spice, light coffee. My first Old Forester and I liked it. Has a lot of flavors going for it. Really interested in stepping up to the 1920 for the higher proof and complexity.
Scott,
too sweet, lingering mouth feel.
Paul,
Smooth. Tastes like what you expect a bourbon to taste like.
Jude,
Smooth from start to finish
Jay,
Very smooth, no bite or after taste, can easily see drinking this on the rocks. very good
Jas,
Definitely a keeper. I got a couple bottles at the local store and boy am I surprised at the smooth taste and finish this provides. Definite one of the favorites in bourbons for sure.
guest,
Classic
Nate,
My go to for old fashions!
Jason,
Great
Jonathan,
One of my favorite Bourbons so far! Excellent aroma, taste and finish. Drink it straight or make it into an Old Fashioned, you won't be disappointed.
Bryan,
Easy drinker with lots of flavor.
Anthony,
Love it, smooth with nice complexity - excellent for the price point
John,
Love this as a traditional drinker. Good on the rocks with a splash of water or club.
Jonathan,
Perfectly drinkable and entirely inoffensive. Nose offers pretty standard bourbon notes, mainly vanilla and oak. Mouthfeel is just slightly creamy, pretty nice actually. Caramel sweetness and a mild spice, then the medium finish drys out, sheds the sweetness, left with mostly oak.
Needs no water or ice, remarkably easy to drink neat, almost no heat.
No regrets on the purchase / not sure I'll immediately replace it when gone either.
So yeah, a solid 6.
KEVIN,
I LOVE THE 1920 PROHIBITION, BUT THIS IS A GOOD BOTTLE AS WELL. JUST AN EASIER DRINKER.
John,
Smooth and spicy. Tried it at a local restaurant. Could have been a different old forester. Will update when possible.
Michael,
My favorite of the Old Forester lineup. Smooth, full-bodied, sweet but not cloying and just a bit spicy. The lower proof burns less than the 1920 (though I do love that one too), making this the best of the line-up for me for sipping neat.
Frank,
Enjoyable but better on ice. Initial flavorss of spice and oak with a mildly biting finish.
Charles,
1870 is the lowest proof in the Prohibition Row series, but it's a really solid bourbon on it's own. The flavor profile is a tad on the sweet side with tons of caramel, candy corn and a hint of spice. 90 proof makes it on the smooth side, but I really enjoyed this one.
Eric,
Decent sipping bourbon, but seems better suited for mixing. Light on the nose.
Michael,
First time trying this and very smooth. Nice clean taste and finish. Most try it neat is the only way to go.