Whisky: Old Forester 1897
Producer: Brown-Forman Corporation
Distillery: Old Forester Distilling Co.
Region: Kentucky, USA
Whisky Type: Straight Bourbon
Age: NAS
ABV: 50% (100° Proof)
Aged in Cask: New charred American oak
Price Range: $$
Old Forester 1897 is a brand of Kentucky Straight Bourbon made in Louisville, Kentucky by Brown-Forman. The founder, George Garvin Brown, was a pharmaceutical salesman and bourbon merchant credited for marketing and selling the first bourbon in sealed bottles to ensure quality and consistency.
Old Forester was released in 1870, named after Union Army surgeon Dr. William Forrester, who endorsed its consumption back in the late 1800s. The Old Forester brand is the base spirit of the Mint Julep, the official cocktail of the Kentucky Derby.
Brown-Forman received one of six licenses to produce and sell whisky for medicinal purposes during Prohibition (1920-1933). Other companies with licenses were:
- Stitzel (predecessor of Stitzel-Weller, owned by Diageo)
- Glenmore Distillery (now owned by Sazerac Company)
- Frankfort Distilleries Inc. (now Four Roses)
- Schenley Industries (Acquired by Guinness in 1987, now a Diageo brand)
- American Medicinal Spirits (Acquired by Jim Beam in 1987, now part of Beam-Suntory)
Before Old Forester, customers would bring their jugs to a general store or saloon and fill them with bourbon out of the barrel. The issue with this practice is that customers could not know if the bourbon was being watered down or mixed with cheap spirit to increase sales. The bottled guaranteed that the product came straight from the distillery, not from a third party.
Old Forester 1897 is part of the Whiskey Row series launched in 2014 with three other expressions that pay tribute to the 150-year history of the brand:
- 1870 Original Batch Whisky
- 1897 Bottled in Bond
- 1910 Old Fine Whisky
- 1920 Style Prohibition Whisky
Other Brown-Forman whiskey brands include Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve (check here our review for the Double Oak expression), Benriach, Glendronach, Glenglassaugh, and Coopers’ Craft Bourbon.
The Bottled in Bond (BIB) Act of 1897
The Bottled in Bond Act appears on some labels of whiskies that meet several legal requirements. The United States government passed the Bottled in Bond Act (BIB) in 1897 to settle a dispute between wholesalers (rectifiers) and distillers.
The invention of the column still in 1830 and improvements in manufacturing made the mass production of Neutral Grain Spirit (NGS) easy and efficient. This type of spirit typically has a high alcohol content (at least 190° Proof) and a weak flavor profile. It can also be produced in high volume and cheaply.
Wholesalers saw a great opportunity to increase sales by buying whiskey from the distillers, mixing it with cheap Neutral Grain Spirit, adding flavoring and coloring, and selling the imitation whiskey at a discount. As you would expect, the distillers were not happy about this, so they turned to the United States government to stop the unethical practice.
In 1897, President Grover Cleveland signed the Bottled in Bond Act. The law made the U.S. government the guarantor of distilled whiskey. The law provided the standards that a whiskey must meet to be bonded:
- It is made at one distillery (to guarantee the distillery that sold it made it)
- It is made in one season (to guarantee all whiskies used are the same age)
- It is bottled at exactly 100° Proof (50% ABV) to prevent any watering down of the product.
- It is aged at least four years in a government-bonded warehouse.
Bottles were marked with the government Bottled and Bond seal to ensure customers the whiskey met the standards mentioned above.
Old Forester 1897 Tasting Notes
This Kentucky Straight Bourbon has a mash bill of 78% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley.
Nose: A caramel and honey nose.
Palate: The arrival is creamy and sweet of caramel, honey, and oak. The alcohol burn is non-existent. The syrupy flavor profile reminds me of Four Roses.
Finish: Medium finish, not overly complex, but enjoyable.
Conclusion: A classic bourbon with sweet notes that you can easily enjoy as a dessert. I was not expecting this experience considering the 100° Proof. Old Forester 1897 gets even better as it breathes in the glass. Give this straight bourbon a try. Cheers!
Awards:
Silver Medal- 2020 International Wine & Spirits Competition.
Score: 4/5 ⭐
Here’s a little bit of history from Old Forester Youtube channel.
Legend
$50 or less $
$51-$100 $$
$101-$150 $$$
$151 or more $$$$
