(I was provided with press samples of Old Forester 100 proof and Old Forester 150th Anniversary for review purposes. All opinions are my own.}

It’s no secret that I love Old Forester. I can’t even be objective about it. The 100 proof is one of my favorite everyday bourbons, and I think every home bar should have a bottle of OldFo Rye for cocktails. Now that I’ve fully acknowledged my fangirl status, let’s move on to a more impartial review.

Old Forester has a special place in the history of bourbon. In 1870, Louisville-based pharmaceutical salesman George Garvin Brown created a new, 90 proof whiskey , which he named “Old Forester” after a Dr. William Forrester. The new product batched bourbon from three nearby distilleries, Mattingly, Mellwood, and Atherton. Mr. Brown innovated the bourbon industry by sealing his whiskey exclusively in glass bottles and signs each bottle as his personal guarantee of its quality. Whiskey in individual bottle was pretty big news in 1870. Old Forester has been produced continually by the Brown-Forman Corporation for the past 150 years. (Brown-Forman was one of six distilleries that were allowed to legally distill alcohol for “medicinal purposes” during Prohibition.)

Brown-Forman Building, Dixie Highway, Louisville

This week, I had the fun opportunity to take part in a Zoom press conference with Old Forester President Campbell Brown and Master Taster Jackie Zykan in which they announced the latest OldFo release, which celebrates the 150th Anniversary of their iconic bourbon.

Old Forester 150th Anniversary Bourbon is a special release that was first planned seven-ish years ago when Brown-Forman Master Distiller Chris Morris set aside 150 barrels of Old Forester distillate in the Brown-Forman Shively rackhouse. The barrels were aged around seven years and underwent a heat cycling process that led to a maturation equivalent of about nine years. Several barrels were, of course, lost completely to the angels’ share, with the remainder being sampled and blended to produce three distinct batches. Jackie Zykan noted that three blends were chosen to honor the three original distilleries from which Old Forester was first blended. The 150th Anniversary Bourbon is bottled unfiltered at batch proof in an amber glass bottle, reminiscent of the original Old Forester packaging, with about 25,000 bottles in circulation. This release will retail for around $150.

Jackie noted that, while all of the releases are fantastic, Batch 1, which she describes as a “fruit bomb,” is her favorite. The press samples were mailed randomly, and I received Batch 2, which Jackie and Campbell refer to as “sweet and spry.”

Tasting Notes:

I tasted Old Forester 100 Proof against the 150th Anniversary, Batch 2 as a baseline.

Old Forester 100 Proof

Mash bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malt

Proof: 100

Nose: honey, floral, cherry, brown sugar. Opens up to a strong note of red fruits.

Palate: golden syrup, banana, toasted pecans, cinnamon, toasted oak.

Finish: green apple and caramel.

Old Forester 150th Anniversary Bourbon, Batch 2

This isn’t a bourbon for the occasional bourbon drinker. At 126.4 proof, it’s powerful and syrupy — a sipper for serious whiskey fans. It’s a delightfully rich and layered bourbon that exaggerates and amplifies some of the best notes for which Old Forester is known.

Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malt

Proof: 126.4

Nose: deep and woody notes of toasted oak, walnuts, honey, and banana bread, opening up to dark brown sugar.

Palate: maple syrup, French toast, dark cherry, orange, cocoa, date.

Finish: spicy and dry with notes of orange peel.

Cheers, y’all!