Old Forester bourbon: history, overview of taste and types
In the range of American spirits, the Old Forester line occupies a somewhat separate position. For unknown reasons, the brand is undeservedly forgotten and does not enjoy exceptional popularity.
And this is surprising, because it is one of the oldest brands, originating from the very origins of American distilling, rightfully ranked among the classics of local bourbons. In addition, the brand's lineup is so wide that any alcohol connoisseur will be able to choose a bourbon to suit their taste and budget.
The history of Old Forester bourbon
A small company "J.T.S. Brown & Bro", which later grew into the Brown-Forman Corporation, was opened in Kentucky in 1870.
The founder of the family company was a young pharmacist George Harvin Brown, who decided that the US alcohol market lacked high-quality whiskey.
The fact is that most American distillers in the XIX century did not care much about the quality of their alcohol. The whiskey was sweetened with syrup and sugar, colored with tobacco and other not-so-healthy ingredients.
George decided to fix the situation. Combining his own savings with his brother's, he opened a distillery in Louisville and began distilling. Unlike other producers, the novice businessman not only adhered to the natural recipe, but also supplemented the whiskey making process with aging in oak barrels. This was an innovation for American distilling.
The innovation was bottling bourbon in sealed glass bottles, which served as a guarantee of authenticity and high quality.
The drink, called "Old Forester", was strikingly different from all types of whiskey available for sale before. Brand experts explain the original choice of the name in different ways.
Some believe that the variety was named after the doctor who treated the company's founder George Brown.
Someone refers to military history and claims that the name of bourbon was given by a general from the Southern army.
According to the third version, the unusual name was chosen to create an attractive image among potential consumers - local loggers (forester means "forester" in English).
It is possible that the memorable name was born as a result of mixing three prerequisites at once, and initially it contained two letters "r".
One way or another, Old Forester turned out to be the only bourbon that was distilled and sold by the Brown family continuously: from the moment the company was founded to the present day. During Prohibition, the product was produced for medical purposes under an exclusive federal license.
Features of the production of Old Forester bourbon
Bourbon is made from a mixture of corn, rye and barley malt. The grains are crushed and milled, and then fermented for 5-7 days. At this stage, a proprietary yeast strain is used, which is grown daily at the distillery.
A long fermentation process provides the drinks with an unsurpassed depth and complexity of the bouquet. After double distillation, the bourbon is placed in new American oak barrels made in our own cooperage, where it matures and acquires a harmonious bouquet.
To create exclusive drinks, distillery masters manually select oak containers from the warmest corners of the warehouse. The heat allows bourbon to maximize its character. The result is a special blend, bright, powerful, perfectly balanced.
Types of Old Forester bourbon
The Old Forester line includes 11 drinks, including traditional ones made according to the old recipe of the XIX-XX centuries, and very young blends that have recently been presented to the consumer. The collection includes:
Rye Whisky Old Forester
A unique drink with a "cheerful" character is produced using the technology of 1940.
The composition includes 65% rye, 20% barley malt and 15% corn.
The aroma of rye whiskey is dominated by accents of brown sugar and magnolia flowers with a touch of sassafras and lemon.
The taste pleases with hints of spices: the sharpness of black pepper and spicy softness of cinnamon are replaced by notes of dried dill and baked apple. The drink finishes with pine, anise and citrus tones.
Bourbon is good both in its pure form and in cocktails.
1910 Old Fine Whisky Old Forester
One of the oldest drinks in the brand's lineup, which is made using two types of barrels.
The bourbon flavor combines hints of buttercream, toffee, cedar and apricot.
The smooth, rounded flavor reveals notes of sweet oatmeal raisin cookies flavored with milk chocolate, caramel and spices.
The bouquet ends with a refined finish of charred oak and spices.
The President’s Choice Old Forester
A limited edition created with the participation of the current president of the company.
Traditionally, each representative of the Brown family at the helm of the company selects several barrels to create a special drink. It goes on sale after reaching the maximum degree of maturity.
You can buy "presidential" bourbon only in Kentucky.
Classic 86 Proof Old Forester
"A living classic: an award-winning spirit that was created in 1870 and survived the Prohibition era with the company.
The outstanding bourbon has a smooth, even character and a rich bouquet, equally brightly revealed in its pure form, in the company of ice or water, as part of cocktails.
Aroma: spicy, sweet, with a strong floral accent, complemented by hints of mint, tobacco leaves, vanilla and pine.Taste: initially sharp, but quickly softens with grain, spice and oak notes.
Finishes with a soft, warming, slightly sweet aftertaste.
Signature 100 Proof Old Forester
Hand-selected from the best barrels, the drink has a rich, complex character, for which it is especially loved by bartenders.
Spicy, strong, with aromas of coffee, chocolate, toffee and licorice.
The taste is characterized by tones of ripe fruit, confectionery spices and toasted wood. Finish: sweet, light, with the presence of apples and oak.
Mint Julep Old Forester
The bourbon, recognized as the official drink of the Kentucky Derby, was created in honor of the local tradition of adding Old Forester to the famous cocktail.
It is a perfect balance of classic old grain whiskey and fresh garden mint.
1870 Original Batch Old Forester
A drink that imitates the original version of the 1870 bourbon. To accurately reproduce the taste, the blend includes spirits selected from three independent barrels, distilled and aged for different periods.
The drink is subjected to minimal filtration to accurately imitate the bouquet.
The aroma contains notes of cloves and citrus, softened by a delicate, sweet, floral honeysuckle shade.
The taste is soft, spicy and fruity with confectionery and orange tones.
1897 Bottled in Bond Old Forester
The drink was created in honor of the 1897 federal law regulating the rules for the production, aging and bottling of bourbon.
Aroma: bright, intense, with notes of caramel, vanilla, roasted coffee and mature oak.
Nose: sweet, deep, with accents of fruit, spices, woody and confectionery hints.
1920 Prohibition Style Old Forester
An extraordinary bourbon dedicated to the period of Prohibition, during which Old Forester did not lose its position and continued to be produced.
The bright bouquet of the drink pleases with accents of cherry jam, soft caramel, dark chocolate, nuts and thick maple syrup.
The festive riot of confectionery colors is flavored with soft woody spices and warm spices, which include cedar, coriander, green pepper.
The finish is tart and smoky with notes of apples, marshmallows and sweet crackers.
Single Barrel Old Forester
A special strong drink made according to an ancient recipe from the contents of a certain barrel.
Depending on the losses during aging (the "angel's share"), from 200 to 240 bottles of the final product are produced from one tank.
The taste of each batch is unique.
Birthday Bourbon Old Forester
This name unites a whole series of vintage bourbons produced in an exclusive designer bottle.
Every year a new version of the drink is produced, created from a mixture of spirits aged in different conditions. The number of barrels involved in the creation of the blend may exceed one hundred.
Flavors vary depending on the year of release.
Statesman Old Forester
One of the company's new products, created in 2017, which promises to push the brand's "dinosaurs". The drink has already won several major awards at prestigious competitions.
The distillery's specialists were inspired to create a special bourbon by the spy movie "Kingsman: The Golden Circle". Introducing the new product, the company's president said that it is absolutely unlike any of the previous varieties of American whiskey and has an exceptional "balance of heat and spices".
The aroma combines accents of chocolate, cloves, vanilla and oak. The taste is dominated by pepper and cinnamon notes with a sharp hint of citrus peel. The intense oily aftertaste surprises with its richness of tones: eucalyptus, spices, orange cream and caramel.
Update: 20.03.2019
Category: Whiskey and Bourbon