Old Forester

Old Forester not only survived Prohibition, it is paying tribute to it with its 1920s style Bourbon.

Aging Whiskey was not a common thing in the U.S. in the 19th century. Consequently this was also the era of added sweetener and acid and tobacco dye (shudder).

But a young man named George Garvin Brown -a pharmaceutical salesman from Kentucky- was a man before his time, a visionary that saw the need for high quality Whiskeys. After saving his pennies, he and his brother opened the J.T.S. Brown & Bro. Distillery, and began distilling Bourbon.

And, much unlike other U.S. distillers in that era, Brown took his time, and aged his Bourbon like a champ. The distillery's first release, Old Forester, was introduced in 1870.

It was aged in oak casks and sealed in glass bottles, said to retain the quality of the Spirit. The Bourbon even survived Prohibition, when it continued to be distilled for medicinal purposes. It is the only Bourbon continuously distilled and marketed by the founding family before, during and after Prohibition.

Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon is the third release in the Old Forester Whiskey Row series. A 115-proof expression that “celebrates the brand’s continued distillation during Prohibition,” when Old Forester was granted a permit to continue distilling on Louisville’s Whiskey Row. This Whiskey is bold on the nose, with deliciously intense notes of cherry, caramel and dark chocolate.

The palate is rich with sweet caramel, nuttiness, and cedar. The finish is wonderfully tart with a long smoky finish.