Long -> Oak, cocoa, baking spice, dried dark fruit and copper fades dryly to a grainy/farmy quality. Old Forester is one of the oldest whisky houses in America (yes, they spell whisky without the “e”). The brand has been on the shelves for over 150 consecutive years. It’s also the first brand of whisky to be sold on the open market in sealed bottles (prior to this innovation, whisky was often just sold out of barrels at grocery stores). The Old Forester 1920 and 1910 used a similar mash bill ratio: 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley.

Old Forester 1920 Review [In Depth] - The Whiskey Shelf

Old Forester 1920 Prohibition style bourbon is easily my favorite expression of the Whiskey Row Series. I’ve been a fan of Old Forester Signature, and 1920 Prohibition Style bourbon is has a similar flavor profile but much stronger. If I had one minor gripe, it would be that this expression likely started as normal barrels of Old Forester distillate, with a barrel entry proof of 125. If Brown-Forman really wanted to make an interesting bourbon, barreling some bourbon at 100 proof for a future release would be a more accurate reflection of a prohibition style whiskey. This new release from Old Forester is their signature rye in a single barrel format. It’s bottled without any filtration or cutting with water. To mimic what a barrel proof bourbon would have tasted like during prohibition, 1920 Prohibition Style bourbon is bottled at 115 proof. Why 115 proof? During Prohibition, whiskey was required to be bottled at 100 proof. To keep from adding too much water to the aged whiskey to proof it down to 100 proof, distillers also barreled whiskey around 100 proof. Brown-Forman (and probably master distiller Chris Morris) estimates that, with “angel’s share,” an aged bourbon would have been about 115 proof out of the barrel.When I had lunch with Old Forester (and Woodford Reserve) Master Distiller Chris Morris, I commended him on the success of the Whiskey Row series, and of this 1920 expression in particular. Whenever I conduct an online poll about the best value for money among accessible bourbons, 1920 inevitably receives multiple nominations from respondents. After aging, 1920 is bottled at 115 proof (57.5% ABV), while 1910 undergoes secondary maturation before bottling at 93 proof (46.5% ABV). Our Service is an online platform which provides Members with information (e.g. bottle facts, market-indices, market values and prices) on (mostly) whisky and allows Members to add information to the platform. We do not sell, nor does the Service provide any option to buy, any alcoholic products.

Old Forester 1920 | The Whiskey Comparison: Knob Creek SB Vs Old Forester 1920 | The Whiskey

All of this is to say, Old Forester has been putting out a lot of great whisky for a mighty long while now. So we’re ranking all their standard and limited release bottles— 14 expressions, judged on taste alone. The taste comes in two main streams with the Old Forester bourbon, both rustic and full-bodied. As first, the sweet and buttery cream caramel, maple, and apricot flavors explode mid-palate. It is no surprise that some may refer to the Old Forester as a grown-up cold chocolate, as you get a lot of cocoa, praline, and dark cherry flavors in the palate. Based on a single barrel I tasted at Louisville retailer, there’s a clear sense of dark fruit, especially cherry, that becomes stewed with dark winter spices on the nose with a good dose of dry tobacco in an old cedar box that’s wrapped up in old leather. A hint of old dry roses sneaks in on the palate as those spices and syrupy cherry and berries intensify and attach to the chewy tobacco. The mid-palate sweetens with an almost rose-water marzipan vibe as the cherry tobacco dried out pretty significantly, leaving you with a sense of pitchy pine sap and your grandparent’s old tobacco pipe that’s still hot to touch.Old Forester is known as the first bottled bourbon, and two of the expressions from their Row Series have gathered so much attention for being great-tasting whiskeys. I tried this from a retailer in Louisville as well and it had a subtle nose of cherry blossom next to a woody maple syrup that almost felt like it had some of the bark in there next to a nice dose of winter spice. The taste complimented the nose with light florals and plummy fruit next to a touch of cherry syrup-soaked cedar planks and a bushel of dark spices. The mid-palate had a slight dark chocolate-covered espresso bean feel to it that led to a finish that was slightly bitter and full of dark fruit and warm spice. If we decide not to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms, such decision shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. The nose is sweet but more caramel and fruity. It has a hint of the cherry nose I’m used to with Old Forester. But, this is much warmer and rounded. It’s spicy with notes of cinnamon and minty. The taste is where this one becomes impressive. It’s viscous and syrupy. It’s sweet and spicy. There’s a caramel apple or dark cherry note. The finish is more leathery and woody. It blends to oakiness towards the end. This is, without a doubt, the king of the current core line and makes sense why I keep getting so many requests to review it. The aroma and palate are dark and heavy, but in a warm and inviting way – like a giant bear blanket. The finsh pulls out the best notes from the palate and fades away slowly.

Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Kentucky Straight Bourbon Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Kentucky Straight Bourbon

If you are a fan of sweeter and lighter bourbons, go with Old Forester 1910 but if you want a solid dram and more classic bourbon taste, go with Old Forester 1920. Old Forester is surprisingly bright in comparison, filled with honey, vanilla, mint, freshly cut pine, and lighter fruits such as apple, peach, and lemon, mint, and freshly cut pine. While there are notes of nuts, charred wood, and spice, they pale in comparison to Knob Creek. It’s thinner mouthfeel and more alcohol-forward nature, contributing to the bright and effervescent sensation that also emits a stronger malt and dough scent, reinforces Old Forester 1920’s relative youth.One of the first things that comes to mind with this bourbon is a likeness to a stout beer, no different than what I noticed in Old Forester’s 2013 Birthday Bourbon. That’s not to say it tastes like a beer, but where porters and stouts are often rich, chocolatey, dark beers, 1920 is a rich, chocolatey, dark bourbon. This characteristic is evident immediately. Not surprisingly, I prefer darker beers and also really enjoy this bourbon. It’s one of the few bourbons I’ve ever had that I took an instant liking to on my first sip.